Henry Heimlich uses his manoeuvre for first time to save woman's life

The doctor credited with developing the Heimlich manoeuvre says he used the emergency technique for the first time himself to save a woman choking on food at his senior living centre.

Dr. Henry Heimlich pictured in 2014.Picture; AP

Dr Henry Heimlich, 96, said he has demonstrated the well-known manoeuvre many times through the years, but had never before used it on a person who was choking.

An employee at the Deupree House in Cincinnati, where Dr Heimlich lives, said the retired chest surgeon was in the room when an 87-year-old woman began choking.

The employee said Dr Heimlich dislodged a piece of hamburger from the woman’s airway and she quickly recovered.

Dr Heimlich says it made him appreciate how wonderful it has been “to be able to save all those lives”.