This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on Web of Science (35)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in JAMA  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Robert E. Visintine, MD; Choong H. Baick, MD

JAMA. 1975;234(4):415.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

APPLYING sharp force to the abdomen just below the diaphragm, as described by Heimlich,¹ has been widely published as a life-saving measure. A considerable number of lives,² including that of the patient in this report, have undoubtedly been saved by persons who have read about this technique. The forceful, sudden pressure applied by the quick upward push on the epigastrium can often expel the life-threatening plug of food.

To date, no serious complications resulting from this maneuver have been reported. According to Heimlich (personal communication), fractured ribs seem to have been the only significant problem, and they have been rare. The case we are reporting involved a far more serious complication.

Report of a Case

A 74-year-old man was attending a club banquet, when he suddenly appeared to be choking and lost consciousness. An alert companion used the Heimlich maneuver, and a large piece of meat was expelled. . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

Author Affiliations
From the departments of emergency medicine and surgery, Santa Ana Tustin Community Hospital, Santa Ana, Calif.

Footnotes
Reprint requests to Santa Ana Tustin Community Hospital, 1001 N Tustin Ave, Santa Ana, CA 92705 (Dr Visintine).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?