Thoracotomy Resuscitation of a Patient Who Sustained Blunt Force Trauma with a pH of 6.7 on Admission and Ultra Massive Transfusion of 42 Units of Blood

Abstract

Extreme acidosis is a life-threatening physiological state that thwarts resuscitative actions and most frequently ends in mortality. This report describes a case of a successful resuscitation in a patient who presented without vital signs, agonal respirations, dilated, unresponsive pupils, and an initial pH of 6.7. The patient is a 37-year-old man who was ejected from his package delivery vehicle after it was struck by a loaded dump truck. Resuscitative thoracotomy and other ATLS measures were performed to restore spontaneous circulation at 13 minutes after arrival. He underwent subsequent emergent operative interventions for severe chest, lower extremity, and intra-abdominal injuries. He was transfused 15, 27, and 42 total units of packed red blood cells (U-pRBCs) at resuscitation hours 2, 4, and 24. This case reinforces that resuscitative measures should be undertaken on a case-specific basis despite generalized guidelines suggesting futility at pH below 7.0 and at 23 units pRBCs balanced transfusion.