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London's Air Ambulance (LAA) are a charity that delivers an advanced trauma team to London’s most critically injured patients. Using a helicopter from 08:00 to sunset and rapid response cars at night or in adverse weather situations, LAA brings the hospital to the patient when time is critical.
The Blue Light Show are thrilled to be working with LAA again in 2027 to bring visitors immersive training from the show floor.
This talk will explore London’s Air Ambulance’s experience of prehospital thoracotomy, covering the indications, procedure, evidence base and training required to deliver this highly invasive intervention safely and effectively. It will examine the challenges of performing thoracotomy in the most time-critical and stressful situations, and how training, governance and team preparation help ensure the procedure is delivered to the highest possible standard.
Dean Bateman, Senior Clinical Lead Paramedic
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London’s Air Ambulance clinicians will demonstrate the resuscitative clamshell thoracotomy (RCT), also known as ‘open heart surgery’ procedure twice each day. This is an intervention we deliver in the pre-hospital phase of care to treat cardiac tamponade or control intrathoracic haemorrhage for patients who deteriorate into traumatic cardiac arrest (TCA). London’s Air Ambulance was the first HEMS service to deliver this intervention by the roadside. Observers will see each phase of the intervention performed and will be able to ask questions afterwards.
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London’s Air Ambulance clinicians will demonstrate our various pre-hospital airway management interventions and procedures. Observers will be able to see how airway management is performed, and the various ways clinicians can protect a patient’s airway in the pre-hospital phase of care – often delivering care that is usually only available in an emergency department, including prehospital emergency anaesthesia.