The Heimlich Maneuver, also known as the Heimlich Abdominal Shock Method (Heimlich Maneuver), was invented by American thoracic surgeon Henry Heimlich. Its mechanism is to exert pressure on the abdomen, thus causing the diaphragm to move up quickly and briefly, and the pressure in the chest cavity increases suddenly, resulting in the rapid exhalation of residual gas in the lungs, and ultimately eliminating the foreign body from the airway, and the correct and effective Heimlich Maneuver is an effective way to rescue the foreign body from obstructing the airway and causing asphyxia in a timely manner at the scene.

    Heimlich maneuver, the use of impact on the abdomen - diaphragm under the soft tissues, by the sudden impact, producing upward pressure, compression of the lower part of the two lungs, thus driving the lungs residual air to form a stream of air. This impact with the direction of the long drive in the trachea air flow, will be able to block the trachea, larynx, food hard lumps and other foreign objects to drive away, so that people can be rescued. The Heimlich maneuver and other techniques are used only when the airway obstruction is life-threatening and the foreign body causes severe upper airway obstruction leading to asphyxia (manifested by the inability to speak, cough, or insufficient ventilation). If the choking person is able to speak, cough forcefully or breathe adequately, no intervention is needed.

In our daily life, we will inevitably encounter some unexpected situations. For example, the child is stuck in the throat of a foreign body, choking on a drink of water, burned in the process of cooking and other unexpected situations. In the absence of a doctor and the situation is urgent, what should we do? Mainly divided into four steps: 1, stand behind the patient, two hands around the patient's abdomen, the patient will be slightly forward. 2, one hand clenched fist, the eye of the fist is fixed in the patient under the raphe, the other hand grasps the fist. 3, continuous, rapid extrusion of the abdomen for 5-6 times. 4, when the action is complete, to observe whether the foreign body spit out. If it fails, repeat the above steps again. Of course if there is respiratory or cardiac arrest, chest compressions need to be performed immediately.

     On November 3, 2023, the nursing team of the Emergency Department of our hospital headquarters went into the Boyuan Hanlin Kindergarten and carried out an on-site skills training and on-site practical operation of the Heimlich Maneuver for the teachers and students there. Ms. Liu Yuanyuan carefully made the courseware and found a lot of related videos to tell the children how to operate correctly when they encountered such a situation in a graphic way. After watching the videos, Ms. Ding Jieli and Ms. Li Lixia demonstrated the specific operation methods for the children. When the patient is one year old or older children or adults If the patient is conscious and can stand, first let the patient stand, the rescuer stands behind the patient, the child is shorter, the rescuer can kneel behind him, then the rescuer has one leg in front of the patient, insert the patient's legs between the two legs as a bow step, the other leg is straightened, arms around the patient's waist, so that his upper body lean forward. Finally, the rescuer makes a fist with one hand, puts the eye of the fist on the patient's umbilicus above the two horizontal fingers, wraps the other hand around the fist, and continuously, quickly and forcefully impacts the patient's upper back until the foreign body is spit out. If the patient is unconscious or standing position is not convenient to rescue, let the patient lie flat, first open the patient's airway, then the rescuer riding across the outside of the patient's thighs, one hand with the root of the palm to press the umbilicus on the two transverse fingers of the part of the two palms overlap the cross, continuous, rapid, forceful impact to the patient's back. The upper part of the patient's body should be impacted until the foreign body is discharged.

 

      When the airway is blocked by a foreign body and there is no one around, the patient can save himself by making a fist with one hand and placing the eye of the fist on the umbilicus above the two transverse fingers, and wrapping the other hand around the umbilicus. The other hand is wrapped around the fist, and both hands are rapidly pressed inward and upward against the abdomen, until the foreign body is discharged. Upper pressure on their own abdomen, repeated rhythmically and forcefully. Or slightly bent over, leaning on a fixed object . (such as the edge of the table, the back of the chair, the handrail railing, etc.), with the edge of the object to press their upper abdomen, rapid impact to ___, repeat the above operation, until the foreign body is discharged. 

      Often, once we grasp the “golden time” of first aid, that is, to a certain extent, grasp the life. Mastery of relevant skills and knowledge, can let us better protect themselves and others, to avoid accidents and injuries.

          (Headquarter Emergency Department, Liu Yuanyuan, Li Lixia)