WHAT TO DO when the Heimlich Maneuver doesn’t work. “When all attempts to rescue a choking victim fail and emergency medical help is unavailable, there is a treatment of last resort: a cricothyrotomy, which is easier and quicker to perform than a tracheotomy. With the victim lying flat, tip the head back and locate the bulge of the Adam’s apple. Using a sharp knife, make a half-inch horizontal cut a half-inch deep between the Adam’s apple and the bulge an inch below it, the cricoid cartilage. Insert something like a straw or casing of a ballpoint pen (first remove the ink cartridge) and breathe into it. In case someone’s life depends on your ability to do this, review an illustrated description of the procedure at www.tracheostomy.com/resources/surgery/emergency.htm.“