Performance and outcome of ressucitative thoracotomies in a southern Brazil trauma center: a 7-year retrospective analysis

OBJECTIVE: the study aims to analyze the performance and outcome of resuscitation thoracotomy (TR) performed in patients victims of penetrating and blunt trauma in a trauma center in southern Brazil during a 7 years period. METHODS: retrospective study based on the analysis of medical records of patients undergoing TR, from 2014 to 2020, in the emergency service of the Hospital do Trabalhador, Curitiba - Paraná, Brazil. RESULTS: a total of 46 TR were performed during the study period, of which 89.1% were male. The mean age of patients undergoing TR was 34.1±12.94 years (range 16 and 69 years). Penetrating trauma corresponded to the majority of indications with 80.4%, of these 86.5% victims of gunshot wounds and 13.5% victims of knife wounds. On the other hand, only 19.6% undergoing TR were victims of blunt trauma. Regarding the outcome variables, 84.78% of the patients had declared deaths during the procedure, considered non-responders. 15.22% of patients survived after the procedure. 4.35% of patients undergoing TR were discharged from the hospital, 50% of which were victims of blunt trauma. CONCLUSION: the data obtained in our study are in accordance with the world literature, reinforcing the need for a continuous effort to perform TR, respecting its indications and limitations in patients victims of severe penetrating or blunt trauma.