My wife choked last night, and she did not know the universal sign of choking.

[GB_RN]

47. Yeah, You Can Do This...

Last edited Mon Dec 18, 2023, 12:34 AM - Edit history (1)

But you do not want to use a corner that’s sharp-edged, if you can help it, as you can snap off the tip (xiphoid process) of your sternum (aka breastbone). It’s that little pointed piece of bone that sits a bit deeper in the tissue than the rest of the sternum and then rises to the surface as the point. If you snap that off, you’re possibly in a whole other deep pile.

Possible secondary injuries include lacerations of the liver or other abdominal organs (liver being most common due to proximity and lacerating the liver will lead to massive internal bleeding). You can also puncture your lungs, which is less than desirable as this leads to what we call a [link:wikipedia|pneumothorax]: Air in the chest cavity, which separates the lungs from the lining of the chest wall, causing the lung(s) to collapse (progressively with every breath). Get enough air displacement and you get a life threatening situation called tension pneumo. This is when the air pressure builds up and causes the trachea (wind pipe) and heart to shift out of position, compressing the opposite lung and the heart, compromising blood flow and further compromising breathing.

So, if a sharp corner is all you’ve got, pad it as best you can, and try to stay below the xiphoid process.