Heimlich maneuver
Alternative names:
abdominal thrusts
Definition:
An emergency technique
for preventing suffocation caused by a piece of food or other
object lodged in the throat or windpipe. Grasp the choking
victim from behind with your fist, thumb side in, placed just
below the victim's breastbone (sternum), with the other hand
placed firmly over the fist. Then pull your fist firmly and
abruptly into the top of the abdomen in order to force the
object up the windpipe. If repeated attempts do not free the
airway, an emergency incision in the windpipe (tracheostomy)
may be necessary. See information on:
Updated Date: 02/09/00
Updated By:J. Gordon Lambert, MD, Associate Medical Director,
Utah Health Informatics and adam.com
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