Journal of the American College of Surgeons
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Resuscitative thoracotomy (RT) is life-saving in select patients and can be accomplished through a left anterolateral (AT) or clamshell thoracotomy (CT). CT may provide additional exposure, facilitating certain operative procedures, but the added blood and heat loss and time to perform it may increase complications. No prospective multicenter comparison of techniques has yet been reported. ⋯ Clamshell thoracotomy facilitates thoracic life-saving procedures withoutincreased systemic or thoracic complications compared with AT in patients undergoing RT.