I wouldn’t think you’d need more than a single chest seal. If BOTH lungs are punctured you’ll probably be DRT.
My reasoning was if you had a wound that fully penetrated and exited out the back, wouldn’t it be prudent to have one on the front and the back?
I see where you’re coming from, but what I was told, in that case, you tape one hole completely closed and put the ACS on the other hole. I’m sure someone on here would know for sure. It seems like the contents list for every blow-out kit I’ve ever seen only includes a single ACS.
We’ve been using Hyfin dressings. But we also needle chest decompress.
Ashermans don’t stick too well when there’s alot of blood and need to be taped down. Hyfin dressings stick like crazy. If there’s an exit wound we tAke the hyfin wrapper and some three inch tape and make another occlusive dressing. Or another Hyfin if there’s an obundance.
Patching one hole completely with any air tight sheeting (MRE bag for example) and then using the Ashermans on the other side will help prevent a sucking chest wound from building into a tension pneumothorax. The flutter valve that sticks out should let the air out one way so air build up inside the chest cavity can’t start crushing the lung in the affected side. You could also try achieving this by taping a square dressing down on three side leaving one open for air to escape if no seals are available.
thanks for the link.whats the shelf life on anti-biotics?
As far as flail chests/ wityh a hemothorax, Saran wrap and Defib pads work great. The finger from a rubber glove and a long assed 14G cath for decompression.
Which one is better?
Thanks Casey
my dept carries asherman chest seal. they seem to work pretty good.
Believe it or not, the round ECG electrodes work great for small arms fire. Although I am currently in Iraq (contractor), I come from a city where we work quite a few small arms GSW’s. Electrodes are very quick and easy to apply and surprisingly work very well. I’ve used them at least 2 dozen times and have never been questioned by the ER trauma staff…generally I get quite the opposite and am usually praised for the creative use.
Just make sure to mark GSW on them so there is no confusion 
I carry the Asherman but honestly I tend to use other solutions for large sucking chest wounds along with invasive decompression.
Got to say I have treated into the hundreds of GSW’s and seldomn would this have been helpful. I cannot see an application except for a small caliber entrance wound for which a compression dressing would be more appropriate. I have used Defib pads but they are a quite different product for a different type of wound (chest GSW).
It’s extremely quick and effective for just that scenario - small caliber entrance (and often exit) wounds. Not suggesting its better than anything else, just suggesting another option. I’m citing what has worked well for me, especially with multiple holes and limited help.
It stops the bleeding, that’s the point, no? 
It stops the bleeding, that's the point, no
No doubt brother…
Contents:
CAT tourniquet
2x 6” Israeli bandage
4.5” roll of Kerlix (4.1 yd long)
Medical tape
1 pair nitrile gloves
1x 2x2 gauze
4x 3x3 gauze
1x 5x9 Surgipad
Hemcon bandage (4x4”)
NPA w/ surgi-lube (size 28F)
Ziploc bag contains the following:
1 pair nitrile gloves
3x 4x4” gauze
2x 3x3” gauze
2x 2x2” gauze
1x 5x9” Surgipad
1x 4” Israeli bandage
I’ll probably take out some of the gauze but for right now I wanted something to fill it up. I’m putting a little keychain light and some better tape in there when I get the chance.
Do you mean it stops the bleeding to the outside?
My EMT class was about that with books but that was years ago.
Thats whats he means… as EMS you cant stop the bleeding on the inside… thats WAY outside of Civilian Scope of practice, Corpsman yes Paramedic no. Reason being is they want Para-medicine as simple and affective as possible. We have Hospitals with in Driving distance for most incidents and where we don’t we have air support normally within 30 minutes. Being a Medic (Military) you may not have that luxury and could be pinned down for who knows how long while they try and get you air support, so they need that extended scope.
Not quite the case . . .
Thats the Case here in California, feel free to explain.
Made sense to me. How is he wrong?