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Published on: January 5, 2015

Sternal fracture and osteomyelitis: an unusual complication of a precordial thump

Walid Ahmar1, Peter Morley, Silvana Marasco

  • 1Department of Cardiology, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Grattan Street, Parkville, 3050 Victoria, Australia.

Resuscitation
|August 19, 2007
PubMed

Insights

The precordial thump, used for cardiac arrest, can cause sternal fractures and osteomyelitis. This case highlights potential complications of this intervention during resuscitation efforts.

Area of Science:

  • Emergency Medicine
  • Cardiology
  • Traumatology

Background:

  • Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) management typically involves cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation.
  • The precordial thump is an alternative initial intervention for witnessed cardiac arrest pending defibrillation.

Observation:

  • A case of OHCA due to ventricular fibrillation was treated with a precordial thump.
  • The patient experienced a sternal fracture following the precordial thump.

Findings:

  • The precordial thump intervention led to a sternal fracture.
  • The sternal fracture subsequently developed into sternal osteomyelitis.

Implications:

  • This case underscores the potential complications associated with precordial thumps in cardiac arrest management.
  • It suggests a need for careful consideration of risks versus benefits when using precordial thumps.
  • Further research may be warranted to evaluate the safety profile and optimal use of precordial thumps in resuscitation protocols.

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