How do you treat a open chest wound?

Chest Injury Treatment

Begin CPR, if Necessary.
Cover an Open Wound.
Stop Bleeding, if Necessary.
Position Person to Make Breathing Easier.
Monitor Breathing.
Follow Up.

What is open chest wound?

Open chest wounds come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Their one commonality is an open communication between the pleural space and the external environment. The wounds have often been sealed by the soft tissues of the chest wall in the vast majority of patients with penetrating injuries to the chest.

What is the treatment for an open and or sucking chest wound?

Another type of injury, sucking chest wounds, are a dramatic wound pattern with a fairly simple out-of-hospital treatment: placing an occlusive dressing on the chest wound. Early treatment of a sucking chest wound included placing an air-occlusive dressing over the site and taping it on three sides.

Which type of dressing should be applied to an open chest wound?

A potential space exists between these two layers, and they may become separated by fluid or air. A lung can collapse to the size of a fist under pressure from either. Standard treatment in the field for an open chest wound is an occlusive dressing.

Do you pack a chest wound?

Wounds of the chest, abdomen or pelvis shouldn’t be packed because bleeding from these wounds is generally from a very deep source that can’t be reached from the outside. These patients must be rapidly transported to a surgeon for operative bleeding control.

What is the steps in chest bandage?

You should:

ask the person to hold their arm across their chest and support the arm while you work.
put the bandage under the arm and around the back of the neck.
put the other half of the bandage over the arm to meet at the shoulder and tie into a knot.
tuck the loose ends of the bandage in at the elbow, or use a pin.

Why must you seal an open chest wound?

Since air can pass through a dressing, you must seal an open chest wound to stop air from entering the chest and collapsing the lung.

What are sucking wounds?

A sucking chest wound is a hole in the chest—from a gunshot wound, stabbing, or other puncture wound—that makes a new pathway for air to travel into the chest cavity. When the chest cavity is expanded in order to inhale, air not only goes into the mouth and nose like normal, it also goes into the hole.

What is bandaging in first aid?

Covering a break in the skin helps to control bleeding and protect against infection. Dressings are pads of gauze or cloth that can be placed directly against the wound to absorb blood and other fluids. Cloth bandages cover dressings and hold them in place.

What is the best chest seal?

The HyFin® Vent Chest Seal Twin Pack meets or exceeds the current EMS Standard of Care and TCCC & TECC Guidelines for treatment of penetrating injuries to the chest and is the superior prehospital chest seal.

What is the first aid for a penetrating chest wound?

First aid for a penetrating chest wound 1 call for emergency medical help 2 if object is still in place, stabilise with a pad around entry wound 3 if open wound, apply plastic or a non-stick pad, taped on three sides only leaving bottom side un-taped to allow for air… 4 check for other injuries 5 observe respiratory rate More

How do you seal a hole in a chest wound?

Put something plastic (preferably sterile or at least clean) over the hole and tape it down. You can use a first aid device called a chest seal for this. Or, another trick is to use the packaging that sterile dressings come in. Peel open the packaging and tape the entire plastic portion over the sucking chest wound.

What is the best way to care for an open wound?

Place casualty in the most comfortable position, if possible inclined to the injured side. If open sucking chest wound, prevent air entry ASAP. If possible use a credit card, cling film or any air-tight seal to cover the wound.

What should you do if someone is breathing through a wound?

Use your hands if you have no other option. If possible, ask the person to breathe out to release any excess air. Place tape, plastic, or a chest seal over any hole that’s sucking in air, including entry and exit wounds. Make sure no air enters any wound.