VENTRICULAR-FIBRILLATION IN THE PATIENT WITH BLUNT TRAUMA - NOT ALWAYS EXSANGUINATION

Three cases of successful prehospital resuscitation of blunt trauma pa tients sustaining cardiac arrest resulting from ventricular fibrillati on are reported. Although probably uncommon, ventricular fibrillation not caused by severe hypovolemia, exsanguination, or severe hypoxia in the setting of blunt trauma might be a treatable cause of cardiac arr est, Early electrocardiographic monitoring of patients with blunt trau ma, including those with cardiac arrest, can detect this small, yet ea sily salvageable group of patients.