Needle Decompression

[Chief Complaint]

You'll probably be able to find the rib somewhere. Follow it around and do the best you can, if you stay at the midaxilary line you should stay away from the vital structures.

As far as inserting blind, yes you should avoid it, BUT.....not performing needle decompression in a true tension pneumo will lead to death. So the alternative isn't exactly palatable.

I agree that would definately be a problem but if you need to do it in order to keep the pt alive, then go where you most likely think the landmark is. Do No Harm is good, but sometimes not doing crap can kill them.

Thanks, thats what i expected to hear.

 

[ChorusD]

For what it's worth, I was taught while a member of a certain warfighting organization that you can also find the site for decompression at two finger widths below the clavicle at the mid clavicular line. It should get you close.

 

[MasterIntubator]

Interesting technique. Its like a redneck pleurovac.

Kinda neat.

It does create a splash issue, and would be top heavy. All of the decompresses I have done, I have removed the stylus/trocar, which would take away the stiffness and it will kink. Once the sheath kinks, they become very restrictive ( even after straightening it out. You would think that leaving an angiocath stylet in would be more traumatic to internal structure as that top heavy weight wiggles around... just lacerating everything it swings by.

A pediatric heimlich valve on an extention works great ( for the old schoolers.... the intracaths... with its built in flapper valve ).