Basics Relating To The Handling Of A Sucking Chest Wound

By Barbara Green


A sucking wound is often the result of a penetrating injury. The most classical sign of a sucking chest wound is the presence of a hissing or a sucking sound during respiration. Other signs that may be noted are increased difficulties in breathing and coughing up of blood.

When faced with this emergency, contact emergency services immediately. In some cases, the emergency services phone operator may offer you some guidance but in cases where such services are unavailable, there are a number of things that one can do to improve the chances of survival of the victim.

As is the case for any emergency, always ensure your own safety first. Before attending to the injured, wash your hands and put on a pair of gloves. Inspect the wound and look for any loose clothing or loosely hanging objects. Remove these carefully. Objects that appear to be stuck onto the area should not be extracted by force. Doing so is likely to worsen the injury and reduce the chances of survival.

The objective is to make sure that no more air gets sucked in. All the open wounds should be sealed by use of tape. If a tape is not available then any air right material such as plastic strip can be used. The palm of the hand can be used as a last resort if there is no other option.

Depending on the nature of the injury, there may be a number of complications noted immediately or later. If the lung is punctured, there is a high risk of a condition known as tension pneumothorax. The underlying problem here is the escape of air from the lungs and entrapment within the chest cavity. The resultant pressure impedes circulation and may cause death.

Once the seals have been created, you need to be wary of tension pneumothorax. Some of the signs that suggest this complication is setting include crackling sounds palpated under the skin, shallow rapid breaths, a blue coloration of fingers and engorged neck veins. If these are noted, the seal should be opened immediately. In case the patient stops breathing before the emergency team arrives then you will need to start cardiopulmonary resuscitation, CPR.

Once the patient arrives to the hospital, there are a number of interventions that will be undertaken. Because of the strain in breathing, they will be receive oxygen supplementation through a facial mask. The next important thing is to provide an escape route for the trapped air to escape. This is done by fixing an under water seal drain tube through the ribs into the pleural and leaving it in place for some hours or a few days.

If you give the right stabilization measures and the patient makes it to hospital for there operation, there is a very high likelihood of survival. The most important thing to remember is that time is of great essence and a second lost may make the difference between survival and death. On average, one will be retained in the hospital for a period of seven to ten days. Resumption of regular routine takes between three and six months.




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