12. open chest wound

7/26/2019 12. Open Chest Wound

1/17

Open Chest Wound:

S/S of an Open Chest Wound:

Sucking or hissing sounds coming from

chest wound.Blood coughed up.

Frothy blood.

Shortness of breath or difficulty inbreathing.


2/17

Chest not rising normally when the

casualty inhales.

Pain in the shoulder or chest area which

increases with breathing.

Bluish tint of lips, inside of mouth,

fingertips, or nail beds.

Rapid and weak heartbeat.


3/17

Locate and expose open chest wound:

Epose the area around the open chest

wound by remo!ing, cutting or tearing

the clothing co!ering the wound. "f

clothing is stuck to the wound, do not try

to remo!e the stuck clothing as this

may cause additional pain and in#ury.

Cut or tear around the stuck clothing.


4/17

Do not try to clean the wound or

remo!e ob#ects from the wound.Check for entry and eit wounds, $ook

for a pool of blood under the casualty%s

back and use your hand to feel forwounds.

"f there is more than one open chest

wound, treat the more serious wound

first.


5/17


6/17

SEAL and DRESS:

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. Open field dressing wrapper.

& 'ear open one end of the plastic wrapper of

a field dressing. Remo!e the inner packet

and put it aside. Continue to tear around the

edges of the plastic wrapper until a flat

surface is created.


7/17

This plastic wrapper will be used to make an

airtight seal which will keep air from entering

the chest ca!ity through the wound.

If there is both an entry wound and an eit

wound, the plastic wrapper can be torn to

make two seals if the wounds are not too large.

The edges of the sealing material should

etend at least two inches beyond the edges of

the wound.


8/17

Sealing and Dressing an Open Chest ound!


9/17

Caution: Avoid touching the inside surface of

the plastic wrapper. The inner surface will be

the applied directly to the wound and shouldbe kept as free from contamination as

possible.


10/17

Ha!e the casualty ehale. (breathe out).

& If the casualty is unconscious or cannot holdhis breath, place the wrapper over the woundafter his chest falls but before it rises.

Place the wrapper o!er the wound.

'ape wrapper in place.

Apply field dressing.

Apply manual pressure.


11/17

Position the casualty with an open chest

wound:

Position the casualty on his side with

his in#ured side net to the ground.

Pressure from contact with the ground

acts somewhat like a splint to the

in#ured sided and helps to reduced

pain.


12/17


13/17

POSITION A CASUALTY WITH AN OPEN CHEST WOUN


14/17

Monitor a casualty:

Seek medical help.

*onitor the casualty breathing.

'reat for shock.

+!acuate the casualty SP.


15/17

WARNING:

ir may still enter the chest ca!ity e!en if the

wound is sealed and dressed. 'he air can

cause a life-threatening condition calledtension pneumothorax.


16/17

If the casualty%s condition worsens (increased

difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath,

bluish tint to skin), lift the seal material from

the wound to let the air escape duringcomplete epiration then reseal the wound.

'aping the plastic wrapper (flutter !al!e

effect) helps to pre!ent tension

pneumothora.


17/17

End

12. open chest wound

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