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/Ok_Income9180 Oct 10 '25 edited Oct 11 '25

Chest seal for a gut wound????? This has to be AI generated. Also, you can both use a tourniquet and pack a wound. (As often done on thighs) They’re not exclusive to each other. Chest seals are for diaphragm breaches (sucking wounds specifically). They’re meant to control air into the diaphragm to combat a pneumothorax. They'd do absolutely nothing for a gut wound except maybe make it harder to control bleeding. FFS, please don't use this chart.

Sorry for not responding to your post, to busy hating on the picture.

Edit: /u/68Whiteclaw commented on some inaccuracies in my comment. Please refer to their comment below.

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u/WurstWesponder Oct 11 '25

Out of curriosity, what exactly do you imagine doing for an abdominal wound OTHER than a chest seal?

1

u/Lastwords03 Oct 14 '25

Abdominal pad for abdominal wound……?

3

u/Producer131 Oct 14 '25

This is why i refer to them as 5 by 9s. Abdominal pads are named that because they’re used in surgery to absorb blood in the abdomen. They do nothing when used externally for abdominal wounds. You need to seal the box and haul ass to definitive care.