chest decompression

[Melbourne MICA]

Defib pads make great occlusive dressings for bigger/messier holes, just be sure to explain why they are in a strange place. Never even heard of "burping" the dressing; I can't imagine that it is any use, and I would be getting out my pneumocaths anyway. So I'll third usalsfyre's statement.

I love the idea of defib pads as big sticky dressings. Nice one smash.

As for decompression's - needle thoracostomy as described by others. Anterior chest placement as also indicated by others. We have also had instances of medial placement but also a few who don't slant the stilette towards the vertebrae - ie they go down too straight and miss altogether. One of my colleagues did exactly that just the other week - made for an interesting Xray.

Still, if both officers check the placement and mark it correctly, it is hard to see why any of us stick that bloody great sharp pointy thing in the wrong spot given all those goodies lie in wait just below.

Still you know you are alive (as you can feel your own sphincter puckering) when you deliberately stab someone in the chest.

All good fun. A seriously useful procedure when its done properly.

MM

 

[Mex EMT-I]

Hello.

As a non native english speaker could someone give me a hand and explain to me the term:

"burping the dressing"

It really caught my attention and i don´t know what you reffer to when you speak of it.

Thanks a lot.

 

[Shishkabob]

It means releasing one of the sides of the dressing to allow the pressure to be relieved.