alternative chest seal?

[Wilco]

Is there in alternative chest seal to the asherman or Bolin?

I remember in my EMT class and WEMT class, the even told us heavy duty plastic wrap with tape would do in a pinch.

I'm looking for something that is more compact and even less expensive than the asherman and bolin for 3rd, 4th and 5th kits (third and fourth car, plane flights, etc)

[Gutshot John]

Most any non-permeable material is good in a pinch. They used to tell us to use the wrapper from Petroleum Gauze instead of the gauze itself.

[Wilco]

one reason i ask is not only the price, but i read somewhere that you have "train" to use the Bolin?

[Drummer]

duct tape

[Gutshot John]

one reason i ask is not only the price, but i read somewhere that you have "train" to use the Bolin?

You need some training/knowledge anyway. The chest seal isn't that much harder to learn.

[chuckman]

Most any non-permeable material is good in a pinch.

This. Be creative. You'd be surprised what you can use.

RE: duct tape...in so much that duct tape is a great first aid fix for many things, it can lead to very significant and detrimental skin breakdown, which can cause infection, blahbity-blah. As a profession, out-of-hospital providers need to get away from thinking about using duct tape, especially directly on the skin.

[SeriousStudent]

Many decades ago, when I drove a big white bus, we actually used heavy-gauge aluminum foil as an occlusive seal.

Yeah, I'm talking flinging boxes of foil into the autoclave.

We also used to, um, shall we say "borrow", used sheets of x-ray film from the radiology dept and use that as well. Just cut it into pieces about 6" by 8", then pre-stage a couple of pieces of white 2" tape on it. Put on chest, tape on three sides, and transport.

Of course, we had just stopped using leeches to drain evil spirits, too. It was that long ago. Misters Asherman and Bolin were probably either not born yet, or still in short pants.

I have Bolin and HyFin dressings in my kits now. Knock on wood, I have not had to use one "for real" yet.

[chuckman]

Of course, we had just stopped using leeches to drain evil spirits, too.

...and we still use leeches in the ICUs for wound healing. The amazing thing about being old and in the medical field for a long time is how many things come full circle.

[swatmedic]

Freezer wrap is good. I would stay away from asherman's the adhesive is not that great and the quality as a whole has gone down since the company was sold.

[Wilco]

cool, thanks guys.

when I got my EMT, we didn't do much with serious chest wounds (EMT Basic), such as D-needles and chest seals.

Maybe it is time to take the class again, it has been 15 years since that and my W-EMT, though I work with our county disaster team, and keep up to date as much as possible.