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Heimlich maneuver

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Illustrations

Heimlich maneuver on adult
Heimlich maneuver on adult
Heimlich maneuver on infant
Heimlich maneuver on infant
Choking
Choking
Heimlich maneuver on an adult
Heimlich maneuver on an adult
Heimlich maneuver on conscious child
Heimlich maneuver on conscious child
Heimlich maneuver on conscious child
Heimlich maneuver on conscious child
Heimlich maneuver on infant
Heimlich maneuver on infant
Heimlich maneuver on infant
Heimlich maneuver on infant

Alternative Names    Return to top

Choking - Heimlich maneuver; Abdominal thrusts

Definition    Return to top

The Heimlich maneuver is an emergency technique for preventing suffocation when a person's airway (windpipe) becomes blocked by a piece of food or other object. It can be used safely on both adults and children, but most experts do not recommend it for infants less than 1 year old. You can also perform the maneuver on yourself.

For a conscious person who is sitting or standing, position yourself behind the person and reach your arms around his or her waist. Place your fist, thumb side in, just above the person's navel and grab the fist tightly with your other hand. Pull your fist abruptly upward and inward to increase airway pressure behind the obstructing object and force it from the windpipe. The procedure may need to be repeated several times before the object is dislodged.

If repeated attempts do not free the airway, an emergency cut in the windpipe (tracheostomy or cricothyrotomy) may be necessary.

See also:

Update Date: 7/18/2007

Updated by: Eric Perez, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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