sucking chest wound
Lung-exposing trauma injury
A sucking chest wound is a penetrating injury to the chest wall that allows air to enter the chest cavity with each breath, creating a distinctive sucking sound.
The wound compromises lung function by disrupting the pressure differential needed for breathing.
Emergency treatment involves sealing three sides of the wound to create a flutter valve: Apply plastic wrap and tape three edges to treat a sucking chest wound.
The term appears in military and emergency medical contexts.
- pneumothoraxAir in pleural space
- traumaLasting psychological wound
- battlefieldCombat engagement area
- battlefield medicineEmergency care in combat zones
- combat medicMilitary first responder
blood · gasping · dressing · field dressing · lung · lung collapse · collapse · medic · combat · seal · breathing · hemorrhage · emergency · triage · gurgling · pressure · thoracic · penetrating