Occlusive dressings

[MotorCity]

What are some different materials have you used to make a good/effective occlusive dressing? No commercial devices please.

 

[Combat_Medic]

My go to improvised occlusive dressing is an MRA package. There are always plenty of them laying around. But thats just the military way.

 

[boingo]

vasoline gauze and the foil packaging it comes in.

 

[usafmedic45]

I've just always used the wrapper off of a 4x4". It's generally water-resistant enough to work and you tend to have ready access.

 

[lightsandsirens5]

It takes a second and a pair of scissors, but the oxygen reservoir bag from an NRB has worked great for me.

 

[DesertMedic66]

Pretty much anything that can make a tight seal. A glove, 4x4 dressing paper, O2 wrapper, etc.

 

[MrBrown]

Defibrillation pad

 

[DesertMedic66]

Defibrillation pad

Had a bird shot to the chest patient. We used EKG patches to seal all the holes. The nurses looked at us weird when they saw the 10 patches all around the guys chest.

 

[AlphaButch]

My go to improvised occlusive dressing is an MRA package. There are always plenty of them laying around. But thats just the military way.

think you mean MRE right? lol

Pretty much used whatever was handy and would seal. Torn piece off my poncho, MRE packaging, etc.

The one time I thought I'd have to get real creative, I was reaching for my pack of cigarettes to use the plastic outer wrap but one of the line medics had an actual seal handy.

Haven't had the occasion to use one here in the states, but I have a Bolin seal on the truck.

 

[mycrofft]

My ex-Ranger buddy said his doc used a bloody sock once.

Can't get much less commercial than that.

 

[18G]

The clear plastic backing to some trauma dressings (packaging) would work well.

 

[Cawolf86]

Our rigs have vaseline dressings I just throw on with the foil and tape it down. There are also Asherman chest seals, but I have never opened one up.

 

[Combat_Medic]

think you mean MRE right? lol

Yea thinks. MRE. Don't know how I messed that one up. I've seen a medic use the cigarette plastic on a sim man in training once.

 

[usafmedic45]

Had a bird shot to the chest patient. We used EKG patches to seal all the holes. The nurses looked at us weird when they saw the 10 patches all around the guys chest.

Eh, I would have looked at your funny too....unless it's bigger than a dime or actively bubbling air, you really have no reason to put an occlusive dressing over it. Generally things under the that size (roughly two-thirds the size of the lumen of the trachea) tend to not have sufficient surface area to truly pose a threat.

 

[RocketMedic]

That's a bit dangerous- even small holes can be dangerous. Unless you're constantly monitoring every hole at all times, you always need to exercise basic preventative maintenance and seal the hole.

I've used a glove secured with gorilla tape. Gorilla tape works really, really well.

 

[usafmedic45]

That's a bit dangerous- even small holes can be dangerous

Got anything to back that up? Now, if that hole is backed up by a lacerated mainstem bronchus, it is dangerous but because of the underlying injury not because of the hole.

 

[HotelCo]

Eh, I would have looked at your funny too....unless it's bigger than a dime or actively bubbling air, you really have no reason to put an occlusive dressing over it. Generally things under the that size (roughly two-thirds the size of the lumen of the trachea) tend to not have sufficient surface area to truly pose a threat.

Wouldn't multiple holes that equal a greater surface area when combined pose a problem?


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[DesertMedic66]

Eh, I would have looked at your funny too....unless it's bigger than a dime or actively bubbling air, you really have no reason to put an occlusive dressing over it. Generally things under the that size (roughly two-thirds the size of the lumen of the trachea) tend to not have sufficient surface area to truly pose a threat.

Only 2 of the holes were actively bubbling. But just as a precaution we threw on more occlusive dressings over all the holes.

 

[Cup of Joe]

Could always use the little bags that NRB and NC comes in.

 

[MotorCity]

Completely sealing the hole (electrode) does no good for the patient. During exhalation air will be pushed between the lungs and chest wall. Right?

I've always used the vasoline 3x3 and foil wrapper. But can air escape that well enough?