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What Causes Difficulty In Breathing After Suffering Broken Ribs?
Question: i have two holes in my chest that blow bloody bubbles when i breathe and have 3 broken ribs on the left side. i also have 4 gashes on the same side. the holes in the left side of my chest make a sucking sound when i breathe. i cant breathe deep. i called the emts and they are on their way. i keep bleeding from the holes in the left side of my chest. i was shot twice. i cant breathe. what will the emts and doctors do to stop this? and what is this condition called? what can i do for self care at home?
Brief Answer:
You need to get those holes closed surgically.
Detailed Answer:
Put Pressure on the wounds with your palm and hold on that way till EMT arrives.
In the ER ask the doctors to clean the wounds and make fresh edges on the wound and then close the wounds by suturing with a non absorbable suture material.
Unfortunately, nothing much can be done at home for this condition as it is an emergency situation.
Please go to the ER and get treated.
You need to get those holes closed surgically.
Detailed Answer:
Put Pressure on the wounds with your palm and hold on that way till EMT arrives.
In the ER ask the doctors to clean the wounds and make fresh edges on the wound and then close the wounds by suturing with a non absorbable suture material.
Unfortunately, nothing much can be done at home for this condition as it is an emergency situation.
Please go to the ER and get treated.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
The emts said that the holes are "sucking chest wounds." What does this mean? What will the emts do about my breathing and why cant i breathe in? Why do the holes blow bloody bubbles and why does the left side of my chest feel heavy?
Brief Answer:
You are repeating the questions answered more than a month ago.
Detailed Answer:
Hello again,
You had these questions answered more than a month ago by a surgeon, and the questions are of nature that warrant emergency medical help. So the things do not add up.
To answer your questions though...
1. Sucking chest wounds refer to penetrating chest injuries that result in air being sucked in through the open wounds while you try to breath in. This happens when there is a deep penetrating wound to the chest that has penetrated the chest wall muscles, pleura (a thin layer covering the lungs), and the lung itself. The negative pressure in the chest draws air in because there is an open wound.
2. EMTs will try to apply pressure to the wounds till you are shifted to an emergency room and emergency surgery is done to close the wounds.
3. You can't breath in properly because that negative pressure has to be maintained for the air to pass into the lungs through the nose, and since there is a hole through which air fills up the pleural space, this prevents the air from filling the inside of the lung and that is why you can't breath.
4. Holes blow bloody bubbles because the air escapes back out through the open wounds, and since the wounds bleed, air passing through that blood will cause bloody bubbles.
5. Left side of the chest feels heavy because there could be blood accumulated in the space between the lung and the pleura.
As mentioned earlier, this is a medical emergency and needs to be addressed immediately, however, you have asked the same questions more than a month ago, this raises many questions regarding why you are posting this query here.
Best regards
You are repeating the questions answered more than a month ago.
Detailed Answer:
Hello again,
You had these questions answered more than a month ago by a surgeon, and the questions are of nature that warrant emergency medical help. So the things do not add up.
To answer your questions though...
1. Sucking chest wounds refer to penetrating chest injuries that result in air being sucked in through the open wounds while you try to breath in. This happens when there is a deep penetrating wound to the chest that has penetrated the chest wall muscles, pleura (a thin layer covering the lungs), and the lung itself. The negative pressure in the chest draws air in because there is an open wound.
2. EMTs will try to apply pressure to the wounds till you are shifted to an emergency room and emergency surgery is done to close the wounds.
3. You can't breath in properly because that negative pressure has to be maintained for the air to pass into the lungs through the nose, and since there is a hole through which air fills up the pleural space, this prevents the air from filling the inside of the lung and that is why you can't breath.
4. Holes blow bloody bubbles because the air escapes back out through the open wounds, and since the wounds bleed, air passing through that blood will cause bloody bubbles.
5. Left side of the chest feels heavy because there could be blood accumulated in the space between the lung and the pleura.
As mentioned earlier, this is a medical emergency and needs to be addressed immediately, however, you have asked the same questions more than a month ago, this raises many questions regarding why you are posting this query here.
Best regards
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
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