Acute cardiac care & resuscitation
Traumatic Emergency Thoracotomy for Resuscitation in Shock (TETRiS): a national service evaluation of resuscitative thoracotomy practice outside the operating theatre
Authors' conclusion
In this prospective national evaluation of RT practice, outcomes were strongly associated with the pathophysiological cause and duration of arrest, and the residual physiology present at the time of intervention. The most favourable outcomes were observed in patients with cardiac tamponade and those undergoing RT before irreversible physiological deterioration.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with traumatic cardiac arrest or peri-arrest undergoing resuscitative thoracotomy (RT) outside the operating theatre, prehospital and emergency department settingspatients who underwent RT
- Participants
- 116 patients
- Exposure
- Emergency department RT vs prehospital RT
- Prehospital RTn = 82
- Outcome
- Patient characteristics
Methodological detailsnational service evaluation, 20 UK Helicopter Emergency Medical Services and 26 Major Trauma Centre Emergency Departments
- National service evaluation
- 20 UK Helicopter Emergency Medical Services and 26 Major Trauma Centre Emergency Departments
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Median age
30 years
Male
97 patients
83.6%
Penetrating injury
81
69.8%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Indication and operative findings
- Suspected cardiac tamponade as indication
- 72/116 [62.1%]
- Exsanguinating haemorrhage on operative findings
- 82 patients (70.7%)
Return of spontaneous circulation
- Achieved ROSC
- 50 patients (43.1%)
Survival to hospital discharge
- Survived to hospital discharge
- eight (6.9%)
- Survival strongly associated with pathophysiological cause, duration of arrest, and physiological state at the time of intervention; better with cardiac tamponade than exsanguination
- Emergency department RT: shorter arrest durations, more favourable physiology, and higher survival than prehospital RT
- No survivors beyond 10 minutes of traumatic cardiac arrest
Original publication
Traumatic Emergency Thoracotomy for Resuscitation in Shock (TETRiS): a national service evaluation of resuscitative thoracotomy practice outside the operating theatre. Resuscitation. Published 28 October 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →