Dear patient,
Thank you for your consult at DoctorSpring.com,
May i know a bit more details to give you some help. Are the 2 holes penetrating? If yes, how deep? Duration of injury?
The gashes on left shoulder seems to be superficial and I would have ignored it.
I will advise emergency visit to hospital, take a chest x ray.
EMT will clean up all the wounds, assess their penetration and any danger / damage to underlying lungs and heart, start you on a course of antibiotics and pain killers, and if no harm to underlying structures, they will send you home.
I believe the 2 holes on the chest have to be sealed, by stitches or by bandages. hence i wont advice self care.
We have to look for fracture ribs, how bad they are, whether they are broken in multiple places, what is the condition of lung underneath the fracture, and how good your oxygenation and breathing is.
I consider this as an emergency, and advise a medical aid as fast as possible.
Regards,
Dr.Jacob George P
MD,FCCP
Patient replied :
The 2 holes exited out my back, and the EMTs sealed the front holes with "bolin chest seals" and my 4 of my ribs are broken. The holes in my back were sealed too. My shoulder is broken and the gashes are deep. The EMTs kept checking my chest with a stethoscope for some reason. anda nurse keeps checking with a stethoscope too. Why is this?
Dear patient,
I am glad to know you are in safe hands.
The nurses and EMT were probably checking whether your lungs were working or collapsed. It is called pneumothorax. I presume from the attention you have received that it was actively searched for and ruled out in negative for the same.
4 broken ribs- need not bother much. give them 2- 3 weeks time and they will be back in normal shape.
Wish you a speedy recovery
Jacob George P
MD, FCCP