have you ever wondered how you would treat a sucking chest wound? Always heard about using the wrapper from trauma dressings and tape...... Well my friends there is a simpler solution to this problem. The Asherman Chest Seal - super sticky, one piece unit that can even be applied to yourself in case you get hit. The advantages the ACS has over the old method is speed and ease of use - it is peel and stick simplicity, critical in situations where the fur is still flying while you are performing your medic magic. I have found them online for about $12 each. Food for thought.
I get a lot of goodies here: http://www.remotemedical.com/Asherman-Chest-Seal In modern TEMS, Combat Medic situations this is pretty much the way to fly for sucking chest wounds as the valve is incorporated into the unit and provides the seal and prevents tension pneumothorax from forming by releasing the pressure.
Looks like a good site. I'll have to order what I need when I get out of school. Thanks for the link Paradoc. phishi
ParaDoc Great link unfortunantly I've alread picked 6 up from a med supply mag. I winced when they told me the price and now I'm just crying. However I'll know in the future. Take care Be safe Poacher.
I've watched Navy Corpsmen do that very thing. Anything that can seal, to include the celophane off a cigarette package works. Place the wrapper over the hole, plug hole with a rock or dirt clog, then cover wound, transport. Just make sure to check for exit wound and do same. That chest seal looks like a winner, but the other way works if in a bind.
A sucking chest wound is nothing more then a penetration of the lung for a foreign object, leaving an entrance wound and possibly an exit wound. Ergo.... a lung shot. The name derives itself from the fact as the injured lung continues to attempt to function, it will 'suck' air in through the wound. This also allows foreign substances, i.e., dirt, pollen, debris, to be sucked into the lungs. Sealing the wounds in such a manner prevents any foreign object from entering the wound and lung. It also helps stem the flow of blood, slowing , if not preventing the injured party from bleeding out. One other aspect in caring for the injury is that you cannot allow the person injured to lay on the opposite side of the injury. Example: Individual shot in left lung. Treat, prep for transport, Place individual on their left side. By placing the wound to the lowest point, you prevent the lung from filling with blood and creating pressure downward on the pericardium, (the heart sac) creating a situation for heart failure. It also prevents pressure on the uninjuried lung. My Emergency Medicine terminology is rusty, but then again, it has been over 20 years since I tested for my NREMT-A.