MEDICAL SURFARI: EVERYONE SHOULD LEARN THE HEIMLICH MANEUVER

In 1974 Dr. Henry Heimlich developed an emergency life-saving technique for treating choking victims and restoring their airway. Although choking is the seventh-leading cause of accidental death, this technique known as the "Heimlich maneuver" has been credited with saving many thousands of lives in the past 26 years.

The Heimlich maneuver is not for treating choking victims who are coughing forcibly, as coughing is the body's natural response for dislodging or clearing a blockage from the airway. Also, if people are coughing that means they are moving air in and out of the lungs and the period of coughing may be all that is necessary to clear the foreign object from the airway.

However, if a person is not coughing, looks distressed, grabs his throat, seems to be turning blue and cannot talk or breathe, you must know how to perform the Heimlich maneuver to save this person's life. Here is what you should do: 1) Have someone call for medical help while you stand behind the choking person and put your arms around him. If the victim is sitting, bend your knees and waist behind the chair to circle both the victim and the chair.

2) Clinch your fist and place it with the thumb side of your fist just above the navel, below the breastbone and between the ribcage. If a choking victim is pregnant or extremely obese, place your fist on the chest instead of on the abdomen.

3) Grasp your fist with your other hand and, bending your elbows, pull both hands toward you with a quick upward and inward thrust. Repeat these thrusts until the blockage is dislodged. Stop if the choking person become unconscious.

If the choking person becomes unconscious, place the victim on his back and use your index finger like a hook to dislodge anything in the victim's mouth that might be blocking the airway. Do not try this on a child or infant. Be careful not to force an object deeper into the airway.

If this doesn't work, administer rescue breathing for two full breaths. If the victim doesn't regain consciousness, perform the Heimlich maneuver as adapted for a victim on his back: Straddle the victim's thighs. Position the heel of one hand just above the victim's navel. Cover that hand with your other hand, interlacing the fingers. Keeping your arms straight, rapidly press the abdomen inward and upward until the foreign matter is expelled, but not more than 10 times.

If this does not work, repeat each of the above steps for the unconscious victim.

Infants and young children require special techniques, which are taught by the Red Cross, YMCA and other community agencies.

When it comes to choking there is never a warning before people get objects caught in their throats and start choking -- it becomes an instant emergency. As with any emergency situation, prior preparation enables you to think more clearly and do the right thing. Choking victims may feel embarrassed and try to leave the room but if they are not breathing they may become unconscious without anyone around.

Perform the Heimlich maneuver as soon as you have determined someone is choking and cannot breathe. In just four minutes the brain can be deprived of enough oxygen, which may cause damage even if the victim survives the incident. Any choking victim who has been treated with the Heimlich maneuver should be examined by a doctor as soon as possible because this forceful maneuver can potentially cause some injury to internal organs.

World Wide Web Resources Learn2.com www.learn2.com/07/0723/0723.php3 This site describes the step-by-step procedure for performing the Heimlich maneuver, including graphics to help you learn visually.

American Heart Association www.americanheart.org/Heart_and_Stroke_A_Z_Guide/heim.html The American Heart Association site is always a good resource for information on emergency procedures as well as information on a variety of heart conditions.