ABSTRACT
This chapter provides information for performing emergency thoracotomy. It begins with a case scenario of an 18-year-old man who is presented with severe hypotension after a gunshot wound to the chest. The chapter then includes details on indications, contraindications, and information about supplies, positioning and technique. Pearls and pitfalls are also incorporated, providing additional insights and practical advice not always available in other textbooks or articles. Emergency thoracotomy is performed by securing the patient’s arm above the head for expansion of intercostal spaces, placing nasogastric tube and palpating in the esophagus to help distinguish it from the aorta.
