Summary

Life-threatening trauma

Yes Do not attempt

Obvious non-reversible cause. E.g. total body disruption; decapitation
resuscitation
No
Stop bleeding
Open airway
Decompress chest & assist breathing if necessary
IV or IO access; fluid resuscitation to goal SBP>90mmHg or consciousness
Early damage control surgery

Traumatic cardiac arrest

Summon assistance if required. Consider ‘medical’ causes (e.g. myocardial infarction precipitating minor trauma) & if
likely, manage according to conventional guidelines with consideration of the points below.

* Open airway and protect cervical spine.

Consider airway devices e.g. endotracheal intubation; supraglottic airway

Yes ROSC?
No
* IV or IO access * Control likely sites of
20mL/kg IV plasma/red blood cells or crystalloid + haemorrhage (direct
Further 5-10mL/kg fluid boluses if indicated pressure; tourniquet)
Post-
resuscitation ROSC?
Yes
care, No
prioritising Decompress chest: finger or needle thoracostomy * These
*
surgical followed by insertion of intercostal catheter interventions are
haemorrhage prioritised
control and Yes ROSC? according to the
fluid likely aetiology of
No
resuscitation to the cardiac arrest,
target SBP 90 * Ultrasound (if available) to assess pericardial tamponade. Resuscitative thoracotomy if and if indicated
mmHg tamponade identified (or, if ultrasound unavailable, likely given the known mechanism). are ideally
(110mmHg if Consider needle pericardiocentesis only if surgical intervention is not possible. addressed
there is a head simultaneously by
injury) or Yes ROSC?
a multi-member
consciousness No team.
until this is Consider resuscitative thoracotomy to clamp descending aorta, control thoracic
achieved. haemorrhage, relieve cardiac tamponade, and facilitate internal cardiac compressions and
internal defibrillation
Yes ROSC?
No
ROSC Conventional BLS, ALS or internal cardiac compressions for 10 minutes after all No ROSC
* reversible causes have been addressed. BLS / ALS can occur simultaneously with the
Cease
above interventions if this does not interfere with their application and there are
resuscitation
sufficient people available.

ANZCOR Guideline 11.10.1 April 2016 Page 10 of 11

Guideline 11.9 Page 10 of 11
November 2009 AUSTRALIAN RESUSCITATION COUNCIL
Guideline 11.9 Page 11 of 11
November 2009 AUSTRALIAN RESUSCITATION COUNCIL
Figure 11.10.1: Peri-arrest management of Anaphylaxis algorithm

Guideline 11.10 Page 2 of 14

November 2011