Parameters:
(1) type of injury (blunt vs penetrating)
(2) duration of CPR in minutes
(3) signs of life (pupillary response, respiratory effort, or motor activity)
(4) asystole documented on cardiac monitoring
(5) cardiac tamponade
Contraindications to resuscitative thoracotomy:
(1) blunt trauma AND CPR > 5 minutes AND no signs of life
(2) blunt trauma AND asystole
(3) penetrating trauma AND CPR > 15 minutes AND no signs of life
(4) penetrating trauma AND asystole AND no cardiac tamponade
Indications for resuscitative thoracotomy:
(1) blunt trauma AND CPR <= 5 minutes
(2) blunt trauma AND CPR > 5 minutes AND signs of life
(3) penetrating trauma AND CPR <= 15 minutes
(4) penetrating trauma AND CPR > 15 minutes AND signs of life
(5) penetrating trauma AND asystole AND cardiac tamponade
where:
• In theory a patient can have both blunt and penetrating trauma. For the implementation I will assume that any penetrating injury will classify the patient as having had penetrating trauma.
