Ep 285 - Resuscitative Hysterotomy with Caroline Leech at BASICs 2025

The podcast explores the topic of resuscitative hysterotomy, focusing on its application in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest scenarios. Emergency medicine consultant Caroline Leech discusses her research, which challenges the conventional four-to-five-minute guideline for performing the procedure. Her systematic review of 66 cases reveals low maternal survival rates but a surprisingly high rate of neurologically intact newborn survival, even when the procedure was performed up to 47 minutes post-arrest. Leech emphasizes the importance of prioritizing maternal resuscitation while acknowledging the potential for positive newborn outcomes within extended timelines. The discussion also covers practical aspects such as team training, decision-making, and managing the emotional challenges of terminating resuscitation at the scene.