[HSF] Cardiac arrest after redo CABG in a young patient

[rowlesjohn at aol.com]

Dr Zhou

In the event of cardiac arrest in the early post op cardiac surgery patient I also believe that open chest compressions are in the patients best interest. I was trained that no patient should be allowed to die without the benefit of having their chest opened...whether in the ICU or?in the stepdown unit. It has to be done at the bedside as quickly as possible. It takes too long to mobilize the OR crew and transport the patient. 

Tamponade can be relieved, bleeding controlled, kinked crafts can be repositioned, dislodged pacing wires can be replaced and defibrillation can be accomplished in the decompressed heart more readily than when the heart is distended.

A mobile cart with the necessary supplies should be available in the ICU and the stepdown unit.

John Rowles, MD
Wenatchee, WA


-----Original Message-----
From: zzhoumd at pol.net
To: OpenHeart-L at lists.hsforum.com
Sent: Tue, 4 Dec 2007 10:45 am
Subject: Re: [HSF] Cardiac arrest after redo CABG in a young patient




I did not make it clear that it happened in Sunday. I did not have OR team in 
house. By the time we have patient and everyone in the operating room, it is 
almost 45-50 minutes chest compression. I just do not know if I should operate 
on a possibly dead person. 

just wonder in a none working day or midnight, if somebody arrested, how would 
you approach it and what kind time frame you are talking about.

Thanks!

Z Zhou
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
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