Resuscitative Thoracotomy PracticesNCT05944003
Resuscitative Thoracotomy Practices
An observational study of Resuscitative Thoracotomy Practices, run by Methodist Health System at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Resuscitative thoracotomies (RT) are an effective life saving measure in appropriate populations [1-8]. Unfortunately, when used outside of these populations the mortality rate is typically more than 90% [1-8]. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 16 to 75 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Resuscitative Thoracotomy Practices
- What is being tested?
- Resuscitative thoracotomies
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure
- How many people
- 500 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 18 May 2022to 18 Sep 2025
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 16 to 75 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Study population: Trauma patients who underwent RT in the emergency department (ED), operating room (OR), or intensive care unit (ICU) from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2023.
Who may be able to join
- Trauma patients who underwent RT in the emergency department (ED), operating room (OR), or intensive care unit (ICU) from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2023.
Who cannot join
- Trauma patients who did not have a RT in the ED, OR, or ICU or were less than 16 years old from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2023.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Methodist Dallas Medical Center
Dallas, Texas, 75203
About this study
Resuscitative thoracotomies (RT) are an effective life saving measure in appropriate populations [1-8]. Unfortunately, when used outside of these populations the mortality rate is typically more than 90% [1-8]. Western Trauma Association and Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma have provided guidelines for which trauma patients are a candidate for RT [1-3].
Read the detailed description
EPIC and trauma registry will be queried for demographic information, admission dates, discharge diagnoses, inpatient cognitive function, routine testing (imaging and labs) reports, and surgical histories to determine number of patients who underwent RT, survived the RT, deficits from their cardiac arrest, and if they were COVID-19 positive. A full list of variables to be extracted from the chart review is in Appendix B. Chart review and data collection for these patients should be completed by December of 2024.
- Conditions
- Resuscitative Thoracotomy Practices
- Being tested
- Resuscitative thoracotomies
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Resuscitative thoracotomiesProcedure or surgery
Resuscitative thoracotomies is an effective life saving measure in appropriate populations [1-8]. Unfortunately, when used outside of these populations the mortality rate is typically more than 90% [1-8]. Western Trauma Association and Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma have provided guidelines for which trauma patients are a candidate for RT [1-
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Total number of RT (before and during the COVID-19 pandemic)
Determine the rate of RT at MDMC. Particularly, if there was an increase during the COVID-19 pandemic, which would lead to greater exposure to transmissible disease
Measured: 2 years
Secondary outcomes (1)
• Cognitive deficits of any survivors of RT (GCS, assessments by neurology, mental status exams, and/or similar assessments documented in the EMR)
- Determine the rate of RT at MDMC. Particularly, if there was an increase during the COVID-19 pandemic, which would lead to greater exposure to transmissible disease
Measured: 2 yrs
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted13 Jul 2023
- Study start18 May 2022
- Primary completion10 Sep 2025
- Study completion18 Sep 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (10)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Resuscitative Thoracotomy PracticesStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Retrospective
- Enrolment
- 500 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Methodist Health System
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05944003
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 015.TRA.2022.D
- Status last verified
- Apr 2026
- First submitted
- 6 Jul 2023
- Last updated
- 10 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Study data or any protected health information will not be shared with anyone that is not delegated to the study. The PI is committed to disseminate research results in a timely fashion. Sharing of results generated by the data analysis during the course of the project will be through presentation at national scientific meetings and/or publication in open access journals. All information obtained will be source de-identified and presented on a large scale and not traceable to any one particular individual.
Publications
Burlew CC, Moore EE, Moore FA, Coimbra R, McIntyre RC Jr, Davis JW, Sperry J, Biffl WL. Western Trauma Association critical decisions in trauma: resuscitative thoracotomy. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2012 Dec;73(6):1359-63. doi: 10.1097/TA.0b013e318270d2df.
PubMed 23188227Moore EE, Knudson MM, Burlew CC, Inaba K, Dicker RA, Biffl WL, Malhotra AK, Schreiber MA, Browder TD, Coimbra R, Gonzalez EA, Meredith JW, Livingston DH, Kaups KL; WTA Study Group. Defining the limits of resuscitative emergency department thoracotomy: a contemporary Western Trauma Association perspective. J Trauma. 2011 Feb;70(2):334-9. doi: 10.1097/TA.0b013e3182077c35.
PubMed 21307731Seamon MJ, Haut ER, Van Arendonk K, Barbosa RR, Chiu WC, Dente CJ, Fox N, Jawa RS, Khwaja K, Lee JK, Magnotti LJ, Mayglothling JA, McDonald AA, Rowell S, To KB, Falck-Ytter Y, Rhee P. An evidence-based approach to patient selection for emergency department thoracotomy: A practice management guideline from the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2015 Jul;79(1):159-73. doi: 10.1097/TA.0000000000000648.
PubMed 26091330Aseni P, Rizzetto F, Grande AM, Bini R, Sammartano F, Vezzulli F, Vertemati M. Emergency Department Resuscitative Thoracotomy: Indications, surgical procedure and outcome. A narrative review. Am J Surg. 2021 May;221(5):1082-1092. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2020.09.038. Epub 2020 Oct 2.
PubMed 33032791Hughes M, Perkins Z. Outcomes following resuscitative thoracotomy for abdominal exsanguination, a systematic review. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med. 2020 Feb 6;28(1):9. doi: 10.1186/s13049-020-0705-4.
PubMed 32028977Rhee PM, Acosta J, Bridgeman A, Wang D, Jordan M, Rich N. Survival after emergency department thoracotomy: review of published data from the past 25 years. J Am Coll Surg. 2000 Mar;190(3):288-98. doi: 10.1016/s1072-7515(99)00233-1.
PubMed 10703853Powell DW, Moore EE, Cothren CC, Ciesla DJ, Burch JM, Moore JB, Johnson JL. Is emergency department resuscitative thoracotomy futile care for the critically injured patient requiring prehospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation? J Am Coll Surg. 2004 Aug;199(2):211-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2004.04.004.
PubMed 15275875Panossian VS, Nederpelt CJ, El Hechi MW, Chang DC, Mendoza AE, Saillant NN, Velmahos GC, Kaafarani HMA. Emergency Resuscitative Thoracotomy: A Nationwide Analysis of Outcomes and Predictors of Futility. J Surg Res. 2020 Nov;255:486-494. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2020.05.048. Epub 2020 Jul 1.
PubMed 32622163Inaba K, Chouliaras K, Zakaluzny S, Swadron S, Mailhot T, Seif D, Teixeira P, Sivrikoz E, Ives C, Barmparas G, Koronakis N, Demetriades D. FAST ultrasound examination as a predictor of outcomes after resuscitative thoracotomy: a prospective evaluation. Ann Surg. 2015 Sep;262(3):512-8; discussion 516-8. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000001421.
PubMed 26258320Soreide K, Petrone P, Asensio JA. Emergency thoracotomy in trauma: rationale, risks, and realities. Scand J Surg. 2007;96(1):4-10. doi: 10.1177/145749690709600102.
PubMed 17461305
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 10 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Resuscitative Thoracotomy Practices
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05944003
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 015.TRA.2022.D
- Conditions
- Resuscitative Thoracotomy Practices
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 500 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Methodist Health SystemUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 18 May 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 10 Sep 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 18 Sep 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 13 Jul 2023 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Resuscitative thoracotomies (RT) are an effective life saving measure in appropriate populations [1-8]. Unfortunately, when used outside of these populations the mortality rate is typically more than 90% [1-8]. Western Trauma Association and Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma have provided guidelines for which trauma patients are a candidate for RT [1-3].
Detailed description
EPIC and trauma registry will be queried for demographic information, admission dates, discharge diagnoses, inpatient cognitive function, routine testing (imaging and labs) reports, and surgical histories to determine number of patients who underwent RT, survived the RT, deficits from their cardiac arrest, and if they were COVID-19 positive. A full list of variables to be extracted from the chart review is in Appendix B. Chart review and data collection for these patients should be completed by December of 2024.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Retrospective
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 16 to 75 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Trauma patients who underwent RT in the emergency department (ED), operating room (OR), or intensive care unit (ICU) from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2023.
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Trauma patients who underwent RT in the emergency department (ED), operating room (OR), or intensive care unit (ICU) from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2023.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Trauma patients who did not have a RT in the ED, OR, or ICU or were less than 16 years old from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2023.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Resuscitative thoracotomiesResuscitative thoracotomies is an effective life saving measure in appropriate populations [1-8]. Unfortunately, when used outside of these populations the mortality rate is typically more than 90% [1-8]. Western Trauma Association and Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma have provided guidelines for which trauma patients are a candidate for RT [1- | Procedure or surgery | – |
Primary outcome
Total number of RT (before and during the COVID-19 pandemic)
Time frame: 2 years
Determine the rate of RT at MDMC. Particularly, if there was an increase during the COVID-19 pandemic, which would lead to greater exposure to transmissible disease
1 secondary outcome
• Cognitive deficits of any survivors of RT (GCS, assessments by neurology, mental status exams, and/or similar assessments documented in the EMR)
Time frame: 2 yrs
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 10 Jun 2026.
- Background: PubMed 23188227Burlew CC, Moore EE, Moore FA, Coimbra R, McIntyre RC Jr, Davis JW, Sperry J, Biffl WL. Western Trauma Association critical decisions in trauma: resuscitative thoracotomy. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2012 Dec;73(6):1359-63. doi: 10.1097/TA.0b013e318270d2df.
- Background: PubMed 21307731Moore EE, Knudson MM, Burlew CC, Inaba K, Dicker RA, Biffl WL, Malhotra AK, Schreiber MA, Browder TD, Coimbra R, Gonzalez EA, Meredith JW, Livingston DH, Kaups KL; WTA Study Group. Defining the limits of resuscitative emergency department thoracotomy: a contemporary Western Trauma Association perspective. J Trauma. 2011 Feb;70(2):334-9. doi: 10.1097/TA.0b013e3182077c35.
- Background: PubMed 26091330Seamon MJ, Haut ER, Van Arendonk K, Barbosa RR, Chiu WC, Dente CJ, Fox N, Jawa RS, Khwaja K, Lee JK, Magnotti LJ, Mayglothling JA, McDonald AA, Rowell S, To KB, Falck-Ytter Y, Rhee P. An evidence-based approach to patient selection for emergency department thoracotomy: A practice management guideline from the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2015 Jul;79(1):159-73. doi: 10.1097/TA.0000000000000648.
- Background: PubMed 33032791Aseni P, Rizzetto F, Grande AM, Bini R, Sammartano F, Vezzulli F, Vertemati M. Emergency Department Resuscitative Thoracotomy: Indications, surgical procedure and outcome. A narrative review. Am J Surg. 2021 May;221(5):1082-1092. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2020.09.038. Epub 2020 Oct 2.
- Background: PubMed 32028977Hughes M, Perkins Z. Outcomes following resuscitative thoracotomy for abdominal exsanguination, a systematic review. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med. 2020 Feb 6;28(1):9. doi: 10.1186/s13049-020-0705-4.
- Background: PubMed 10703853Rhee PM, Acosta J, Bridgeman A, Wang D, Jordan M, Rich N. Survival after emergency department thoracotomy: review of published data from the past 25 years. J Am Coll Surg. 2000 Mar;190(3):288-98. doi: 10.1016/s1072-7515(99)00233-1.
- Background: PubMed 15275875Powell DW, Moore EE, Cothren CC, Ciesla DJ, Burch JM, Moore JB, Johnson JL. Is emergency department resuscitative thoracotomy futile care for the critically injured patient requiring prehospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation? J Am Coll Surg. 2004 Aug;199(2):211-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2004.04.004.
- Background: PubMed 32622163Panossian VS, Nederpelt CJ, El Hechi MW, Chang DC, Mendoza AE, Saillant NN, Velmahos GC, Kaafarani HMA. Emergency Resuscitative Thoracotomy: A Nationwide Analysis of Outcomes and Predictors of Futility. J Surg Res. 2020 Nov;255:486-494. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2020.05.048. Epub 2020 Jul 1.
- Background: PubMed 26258320Inaba K, Chouliaras K, Zakaluzny S, Swadron S, Mailhot T, Seif D, Teixeira P, Sivrikoz E, Ives C, Barmparas G, Koronakis N, Demetriades D. FAST ultrasound examination as a predictor of outcomes after resuscitative thoracotomy: a prospective evaluation. Ann Surg. 2015 Sep;262(3):512-8; discussion 516-8. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000001421.
- Background: PubMed 17461305Soreide K, Petrone P, Asensio JA. Emergency thoracotomy in trauma: rationale, risks, and realities. Scand J Surg. 2007;96(1):4-10. doi: 10.1177/145749690709600102.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Study data or any protected health information will not be shared with anyone that is not delegated to the study. The PI is committed to disseminate research results in a timely fashion. Sharing of results generated by the data analysis during the course of the project will be through presentation at national scientific meetings and/or publication in open access journals. All information obtained will be source de-identified and presented on a large scale and not traceable to any one particular individual.
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Resuscitative Thoracotomy Practices, run by Methodist Health System at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 10 Jun 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Total number of RT (before and during the COVID-19 pandemic) (time frame: 2 years). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05944003, which also lists 10 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 10 Jun 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 29 Oct 2026.