How should you treat a sucking chest wound in the field?

• A. Leave It Open To Air To Allow Drainage
• B. Cover With Metal Foil
• C. Apply Dry Gauze And Leave In Place Without Dressing
• D. Apply a Vented or Three-Sided Occlusive Dressing to Seal the Wound and Prevent Air Entry

Answer: (D)

When a chest wound is sucking, the priority is to stop air from being sucked into the chest with each breath while still allowing any air that has entered to escape. The best field approach is to apply a vented chest seal or a three‑sided occlusive dressing over the wound. This creates a seal that prevents air from entering through the wound during inspiration, but still lets air escape during expiration, reducing the risk of a tension pneumothorax and helping the patient breathe more easily. Other options fail because leaving the wound open to air or trying to cover it with improvised foil or dry gauze without an actual seal does not prevent air from being drawn into the chest and can worsen respiratory compromise.