Abdominal aortic thrombosis in association with an attempted Heimlich maneuver
E. F. Roehm, M. W. Twiest and R. C. Williams Jr
We report herein a case of an incorrectly applied Heimlich maneuver--to the
best of our knowledge, the first reported fatal complication associated
with a Heimlich maneuver, acute thrombosis of an abdominal aortic aneurysm,
and the distal aorta. While the Heimlich maneuver is effective for the
relief of foreign body-induced upper airway obstruction, increased efforts
should be directed toward instructing the public in correctly recognizing
and optimally treating airway obstruction.
