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Sucking Chest Wounds

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

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Oregon EMS Psychomotor Skills Lab Manual Copyright © 2023 by Chris Hamper, BS, NRP; Carmen Curtz, Paramedic, BS; Holly A. Edwins, Paramedic, B.S.; and Jamie Kennel, PhD, MAS, NRP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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