Professor Heimlich of the United States invented it in 1974, and the American Medical Association officially named it after him in 1975. It has successfully saved at least tens of thousands of lives around the world.

Heimlich Inventor

"Heimlich" first aid method

Professor Heimlich from the United States invented it in 1974.

The American Medical Association officially named it after him in 1975.

It has been at least successfully used all over the world. Tens of thousands of lives were saved.

Professor Heimlich, an American thoracic surgeon, has discovered in his clinical work that emergency doctors often use the method of slapping the patient's back or inserting fingers into the mouth and throat to remove foreign bodies. The result is not only ineffective but also makes the foreign bodies penetrate deeper into the respiratory tract. cause irreversible consequences.

The concept of suffocation

The explanation of suffocation in emergency medicine is: The human body's breathing process is blocked or abnormal for some reason, resulting in hypoxia in various organs and tissues throughout the body. The causes and locations of this obstruction in the breathing process are shown in the figure.

Foreign bodies or sputum blockage in our oral cavity, oropharynx , glottis, trachea and bronchi at all levels will lead to suffocation. In medicine, we call it external asphyxia.

Principle of Heimlich First Aid

Principle of "Heimlich" First AidMethodIt uses the sudden impact of pressure on the abdomen to raise the diaphragm, causing the residual gas in the lungs to form an upward airflow. This airflow is impactful. , directionality, and quickly rushes into the trachea to expel foreign matter. When the foreign body is flushed out, you can carefully use your fingers to pull it out, but be careful not to push it deep into the airway. At the same time, avoid being bitten by the patient.

simply means treats the entire lung and airway as a balloon. Foreign bodies in the airway are equivalent to plugs blocking the entrance and exit of the balloon, and the balloon is equivalent to the lungs full of gas. When the plug is blocked, gas cannot enter or exit, causing suffocation. The most direct method is to squeeze the balloon and let the internal gas pressure expel the plug. The "Heimlich" first aid method is suitable for conscious patients with foreign body obstruction in the airway.

Symptoms of suffocation

. The first is difficulty breathing, often accompanied by severe coughing or stridor.

. Then there is extreme fear caused by difficulty in breathing, and a sense of impending death. At the same time, he will pick his throat in order to remove the foreign object and relieve the obstruction. The lips can show a dark purple color, which is medically called cyanosis , which is a manifestation of severe hypoxia in the body.

. Along with dyspnea, inhalation is extremely laborious, and some patients will have the typical "three depressions sign", that is, the suprasternal fossa, supraclavicular fossa and intercostal space will have obvious depressions with inhalation.

Typical manifestations: three inability + V-shaped hand .

The three cannots are: after foreign matter blocks the trachea, the patient cannot speak, breathe, or cough.

V-shaped hand is when the patient has "three incompetencies". His hands involuntarily formed a V shape and tightly grasped his throat. If you recognize the Heimlich sign, please use the "Heimlich" maneuver for first aid immediately.

If the suffocation persists and cannot be relieved, the patient will further suffer from loss of consciousness, coma, and eventually cardiac and respiratory arrest and death due to severe hypoxia.

This process usually takes within 6 to 8 minutes, Therefore, rapid on-site identification and first aid of suffocation are very important.

First aid for children under 1 year old and over 1 year old

◆For children under 1 year old: use back tapping and chest compression methods

①Open your right hand (in a figure eight shape) to fix the baby's lower jaw and head.

② Let the baby lie on the rescuer’s forearm. The rescuer extends his lower limbs forward and puts his forearm on his thigh.The baby's lower limbs are separated for easy fixation.

During this process, the baby’s airway should be kept straight and the head should be low and the buttocks should be high. Pay attention to protecting the baby's neck.

③ Use the heel of your palm to tap the position between the shoulder blades on both sides of the baby quickly and rhythmically 5 times.

④After finishing, open your left hand to fix the baby’s head, and carefully turn it over.

If the foreign body is not discharged, continue with the following steps of the chest compression method:

⑤ Let the baby lie on the forearm, while extending the corresponding lower limb forward and placing the arm on the thigh. The baby's lower limbs are fixed between the rescuer's upper arms and torso.

During this process, keep the airway straight and keep the head low and hips high.

⑥ Use the middle finger and index finger of your right hand to press the baby's chest rhythmically, and press it quickly and rhythmically 5 times.

⑦ If no foreign body is discharged, repeat the previous action. If the heartbeat and breathing stop, perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation immediately.

◆Children over 1 year old: Use the "Heimlich maneuver"

① The child's legs are spread apart, and the rescuer stands in a lunge or kneels behind the child, supporting the rescuer's buttocks.

② Stand behind the child, place your hands two fingers above the child's belly button, make a fist with one hand, the center of the fist facing inward, and hold the fist with the other hand.

③Tighten your arms hard and press the abdomen instantly.

④ Continue squeezing several times until the foreign matter is discharged without blocking the trachea.

First aid for other situations

No.1 Upright abdominal impact method

Applicable to: Conscious adult or pediatric patients.

Technique: The rescuer stands behind the patient, wraps his arms around the patient's waist, holds a hollow fist in one hand, puts the thumb side against the midline of the patient's abdomen, two horizontal fingers above the navel, and below the xiphoid process of , , and grasps the fist with the other hand. , rapidly impact the patient's abdomen inward and upward, about once per second, until the foreign body is expelled or the patient loses response.

No.2 Supine abdominal impact method

Applicable to: Comatose adult or child patients.

Technique: Lie the patient supine, with the rescuer facing the patient, then straddle the patient's hips, place one hand on the other, place the lower palm on the abdomen under the xiphoid process and above the navel, and use the weight of the body Give rapid shock to the patient's abdomen until the foreign body is expelled.

No.3 Self-rescue abdominal shock method

Applicable to: Sober adults.

Technique: Make a fist with one hand, grab it with the other hand, and quickly impact the abdomen; or use a rounded corner or the back of a chair to quickly squeeze the abdomen. In this case, any obtuse-angled object can be used to squeeze the abdomen to expel the foreign body.

No.4 Standing chest impact method

Applicable: Pregnant women or overweight patients

Technique: The rescuer stands behind the patient, passes his arms from the patient’s armpits around his chest, makes a fist with one hand, and places his fist in the middle of the casualty’s sternum. , grab the fist with the other hand and punch the chest inward and upward until the foreign body is discharged.

Common complications

Although the Heimlich maneuver is effective, it can also cause complications, such as rib fractures, ruptures or tears of abdominal or thoracic internal organs.

How to prevent foreign objects from getting stuck in the throat

• Cut food into thin pieces; chew thoroughly.
• Avoid laughing, talking, walking and running with food in your mouth.
• Children are not allowed to put small toys in their mouths, and parts that are too small are not allowed for young children to play with.

The following foods that can easily cause tracheal obstruction in the elderly and children should be eaten with caution!

. Jelly: It is recommended that when parents give jelly to the elderly and children, they should not give it whole. They can break it into pieces first and then give it to the elderly and children.

. Twist twists and candies: Foods that are not easy to bite and can easily choke the throat. They are not suitable for the elderly and children. If they are to be eaten by the elderly and children, it is recommended to cut them into cubes first.

, Shredded squid : Snacks with too long fiber and hard bite, including shredded squid and beef jerky, are not suitable for the elderly and children.

. Peanut butter: The viscosity is too high and not suitable for the elderly and children to swallow.

. Nuts: The size is too small. Sometimes the elderly and children may swallow them without having time to chew them, which may cause them to choke.

. Some fruits: Small round fruits with stones inside are not suitable for the elderly and children, such as longan, grapes, cherries, etc. They can be peeled and pitted before being eaten by the elderly and children.

. Multi-fiber vegetables: Vegetables with high fiber content and difficult to chew are not suitable for the elderly and children, such as celery and bean sprouts.

. Large pieces of meat: Large pieces of meat cannot be chewed by the elderly and children. If swallowed by force, it is easy to choke. It should be cut into thin slices or diced meat.

, Long noodles : Noodles that are too long are difficult for the elderly and children to swallow. If they are eaten by smoking, they may choke. You can cut them into small pieces before cooking.

0. Spiny fish: It is recommended to choose fish with fewer bones for cooking. Spiny fish are easy to choke and can hurt the esophagus and mouth of the elderly and children.

Master the Heimlich First Aid in one picture