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6.5: Sucking Chest Wounds

  • Page ID
    84388

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    Treat an open pneumothorax with either an occlusive dressing OR commercial chest seal device (Ascherman).

    If not using a commercial chest seal, you make sure to leave a corner of dressing un-taped. Place tape on all sides of the bandage and leave one corner open.  With the corner being open this will allow air to escape, lessening intrathoracic pressure in the chest.

    A mannequin torso with a clear plastic dressing over a wound; the dressing is taped to the body, but only 3 of the 4 sides are taped down.
    Image from a CU Basic Emergency Care YouTube video, shared under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) License.

    Exhibit 1: Occlusive Dressing note the dressing is taped on only three of the 4 sides.

    Photo of prone patient with Asherman Chest Seal to scapula area.
    Image source: Health Sciences Media Division, US Army Medical Department C&S, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. From “Treat an Open (Sucking) Chest Wound,” A1701-93-000086, public domain image.

    Image source: Health Sciences Media Division, US Army Medical Department C&S, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. From “Treat an Open (Sucking) Chest Wound,” A1701-93-000086, public domain image.

    Exhibit 2: Ascherman (commercial chest seal). Note there is a piece of tubing that acts as a valve.

    Sucking Chest Wound Skills Verification Table

    Sucking Chest Wound

    1

    Student

    2

    Student

    3

    Student

    4

    Student

    5 (instructor)

    Location & technique used

     

     

     

     

     

    Initials

     

     

     

     

     

    The original copy of this book resides at openoregon.pressbooks.pub/emslabmanual. If you are reading this work at an alternate web address, it may contain content that has not been vetted by the original authors and physician reviewers.

     


    This page titled 6.5: Sucking Chest Wounds is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Chris Hamper, Carmen Curtz, Holly A. Edwins, and Jamie Kennel (OpenOregon) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.