General Guidelines for Emergent Exploratory Thoracotomy

 - Initial thoracostomy tube drainage > 20 mL/Kg 

 - Output 200 mL/hr for the first 3 hours 

 - Persistent bleeding at a rate > 7 mL/Kg/hr 

 - Increasing hemothorax seen on chest X-ray 

 - Patient remains hypotensive despite adequate blood replacement (other sites of blood loss have been ruled out) 

 - Patient decompensates after initial response to resuscitation 

#Exploratory #Thoracotomy #Indications #Management #Trauma #Hemothorax