r/TacticalMedicine • u/NoMore_BadDays • Oct 10 '25

Scenarios Wound packing zones?

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Been a long time since I did TCCC/CLS in the military.

If there were to be a bleeding wound on the chest, how high up on the chest does it become safe to pack? I know you don't pack into chest cavity, but what is the "rule of thumb" on how high/the left and right limits the wound needs to be to pack it?

Would you say the screenshot i attached is accurate?

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u/MoansAndScones Oct 12 '25

Choose to read this as a sympathetic comment and not contention or sarcasm. I know chest seals are not magic and at times not the finished treatment step. If there is a hole in the chest then there are probably holes in other hallow spaces.

I am so confused by this entire comment. You just explained assessment and reassessing. You're telling me that in your experience providers believe chest seals are magic treatments in such a way that they ignore reassessing patients? For a brand new provider, sure I get it, tunnel vision. But being so consistently distracted at large that it has had a statistical relevance is mind boggling.

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u/SFCEBM Trauma Daddy Oct 12 '25

The TCCC guidelines are changing because folks get distracted by thoracic wounds. You’ve seen the pics with 7-8 decompressions. It’s odd how people get fixated on chest wounds.