Heimlich trauma - A violent maneuver

The Heimlich maneuver is a life-saving technique for dislodging foreign mat erial from the respiratory tract. This report illustrates intraabdominal in juries, including a large mesenteric laceration, mesenteric contusions, and intraperitoneal hemorrhage, that occurred in a recipient of a vigorously a pplied Heimlich maneuver. The potential for confusing such injuries with ho micidally inflicted injuries is emphasized.