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Case Reports
. 2012 Jul;30(6):1014.e1-2.
doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2011.04.004. Epub 2011 Jun 14.

Emergency cricothyrotomy for trismus caused by instantaneous rigor in cardiac arrest patients

Jae Hee Lee  1 , Koo Young Jung
Affiliations
Case Reports

Emergency cricothyrotomy for trismus caused by instantaneous rigor in cardiac arrest patients

Jae Hee Lee et al. Am J Emerg Med. 2012 Jul.

Abstract

Instantaneous rigor as muscle stiffening occurring in the moment of death (or cardiac arrest) can be confused with rigor mortis. If trismus is caused by instantaneous rigor, orotracheal intubation is impossible and a surgical airway should be secured. Here, we report 2 patients who had emergency cricothyrotomy for trismus caused by instantaneous rigor. This case report aims to help physicians understand instantaneous rigor and to emphasize the importance of securing a surgical airway quickly on the occurrence of trismus.

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  • Instantaneous rigor or something else?
    Senthilkumaran S, Menezes RG, Lasrado S, Thirumalaikolundusubramanian P. Senthilkumaran S, et al. Am J Emerg Med. 2013 Feb;31(2):407. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2012.08.017. Epub 2012 Nov 15. Am J Emerg Med. 2013. PMID: 23158610 No abstract available.

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