I highly value it when you open packaging on screen! I can barely afford these potentially life saving supplies - but without knowledge and training in their use they are worthless - so your demonstrations are a big stop-gap help to me until I can get to training where I can do this myself! Thank you.
I have the twin pack of the hyfin vent chest seals literally crammed in my ifak pretty bent out of shape and I always wondered if they would still perform as intended, thanks for the reassurance Skinny Medic!
These short demonstrations are so incredibly useful. Having evidence based answer to a simple question: "Can I fold a chest seal?" is incredibly reassuring. Having your wealth of videos covering these topics is great. Thank you.
I love it when things are opened on video so I can see what it is and outs features especially pouches and other stuff (I know that's different) but have just one person who shows the stuff benefits everyone else so they know what they are gonna get
thank you for this video! my mom's a nurse from the mid 70's and she really digs the new stuff that we use today and your videos are always a pleasure to watch. cheers from the Philippines!
Hey thanks for sharing, man! As for opening the stuff you do, keep opening them. You can't teach properly without doing so. Having the actual item opened up and seeing how to properly use this stuff is very important. It could save someone's life. Thanks again for sharing and God Bless
@skinnymedic, thanks for the video. I’m a Respiratory Therapist. I work in a level 1 trauma center so I see a lot. I’ve put in a lot of nights in the ER, but we still don’t see some of the things you show. I see a lot of guys on forums that have IFAKS 14g caths for rapid needle decompressions for tension pneumos, but they don’t know where or how to insert one. Along with nasal trumpets, but they don’t know one size doesn’t fit all. Thanks for posting these videos.
Yeah, I was looking at IFAKs and wondering what the actual use case is for the nasal trumpets. Sealing a chest wound is pretty straight forward - apply giant sticky pad to stop unwanted air ingress. The nasal trumpet and needle are for people with more training/knowledge than I have. But if nothing else maybe it's good to have them on hand even if you don't know wtf to do with them in case someone is on scene who does?
Thank you for all the videos you make. You seem to always release a video exactly when I'm thinking about that topic. I always go through your past videos as my first source when looking for information. I like it when you open up items. I personally can't afford to buy extras of everything. So, when you open them and demonstrate how to properly use the item, it is an immense help. Thank you for your service and continued support for training and helping others.
I always see these chest seals sold in 2-packs. I would assume you want to keep both in an IFAK to treat an entrance and exit wound, correct? I was thinking I could split them up to supply more kits, but I guess you always want at least two. Thanks for demo'ing these on camera.
Is UA-cam still demonizing your vids? They should do something about this. The system is broken since they tried to change a good running system. I think they should support your channel (at Least the vids with medical Content) by not demonizing your content Great vid! Happy to see your vids!
Medical aid has come a long way. Back in the day we were taught how to seal a chest wound with the plastic wrapper from the individual bandage and 100mph tape. Thankfully I never had to use that training. I like it when you open items on camera to show the real deal.
Very cool video I agree with you open stuff up so you can show people how things work. There is always going to be hard to please people no matter what you do. Thank you for all you do in teaching us you do an amazing job. I have one question how long do these last if you store in your bag how many years could you keep before having to buy a new one?
I was woundering, do the abdominal pads made for covering stitches fold safely as well as regular abdominal pads. If I’m thinking correctly, chest-seals are different. But, they seem similar atleast. That’s why I thought I’d ask here.
Hello Skinny medic. I am old school where we have never had a commercially made chest seal. Please tell me why a commercial chest seal is better than a zip lock bag and waterproof tape. The zip loc bag and tape are also much cheaper than the commercial chest seals .I do enjoy your video's keep them coming.Thank you and have a good day
Hey thanks for the video. I got some in my bag right now that barely fit but I'm fixing to go bend them so they'll fit cause I now see it will. Thanks again
Thanks for answering that question and for opening that package. It helped seeing the actual crease one might encounter and how it flattened out. A quick but worthwhile video.
Nice video! Thanks, and I just got my first package from your generous sale, very cool, love the size of the small red pouch. Still room to add an item or two! Looking forward to the ankle pouch. Thanks a lot for the videos, and the good prices on equipment. Shalom
Hey , thanks for your cool vids and resources. A kid at my agency gives the Hy Fin chest seals really bad reviews and prefers the Asherman Chest seals. He said the Hy Fins sucked when he was in Iraq trying to use them on kids that were diaphoretic and bloody. I found this out after we had replaced our "expired" asherman chest seals with Hy Fin chest seals. Have you had any experience or preferences with Hy Fin vs Asherman ?
Recently i read that the german military has removed chestseals from IFAKs for a few years now supposedly because the danger isn`t worth the effort. What`s your take on it? Especially when one isn`t trained with the needle.
If I took the smaller chest seals and opened them and stuffed two into one pack to save space would that be ok? They take up too much space in my pocket ifak. If not I just might eliminate them.
Serious question: Was taught in military to just use the plastic wrapping from the pressure bandage as a chest seal (supposedly the inside of the packaging is sterile too). Does that not work anymore or ...? Improvise, Adapt and Overcome!
What you show with the one non vent chest seal its allowed for the one with vent too? I ask because i want put the chest seal with vent in ifak but they are a little to big for it. Thank you!
Thank for the info, I have been wondering this myself. I do appreciate you opening one of them so everyone can see what happens when they get folded. If you were opening a $100 sterile, non-reusable item I might cringe a bit but it's your gear and you can do what you feel you need to do to make your point, and these chest seals are not very expensive. However, I would not be upset if you chose not to open something up. Anyone who has an opinion of what you should do with your gear in your videos should stop watching, go make their own videos and then they can make the decisions.
Hey skinny medic, I have a question. Does a vented chest seal do the job of a decompression needle? Because wouldn't a vented chest seal be far more easy and safe to apply than a decompression needle in the case of a sucking chest wound? Or are there pros and cons to both? I've always wondered what the point of a decompression needle was when there are vented chest seals that allow air to come out.
joe Anderson A tension pneumothorax can still be created without a penetration wound, such as a fractured rib that damages the lung and causes internal bleeding. A vented chest seal can prevent pressure build up from a sucking chest wound but may not be the best solution.
It's nice to have, but not a substitute. They can fail, get clogged up with *stuff*, or pressure can still build up. But if you haven't ever gotten pro training to use a needle D, don't try it.
Hey thank you so much for answering this age old question. Is one fold the max amount of recommended folds or can it be folded again to fit a smaller pocket?
I was watching the other day a live on FB from the TCCC committee, and they were debating the changes for thoracic injuries, such as using vented (non-occlussive) chest seal or otherwise phrased non-occlussive dressing. And in absence of one such, leaving the wound open. Any thoughts on that? And should this change become the new TCCC standard, would products like tegaderm films (for example) which are labelled as "breathable" be considered as non-occlussive dressings in that respect? Thanks in advance for you reply;
Great video! Skinny, are you planning to come to NC to teach a class next year? I was thinking of attending, but you're about 4 hours away and I don't want to make the drive if I don't have to.
evan wants to wear it instead of a belt. the problem with that idea even if it was long enough is you would have to take it off and have an extra belt in your car if you ever needed to go somewhere with metal detectors.
There are a couple companies I know of making tourniquet belts, not TCCC recommend or anything, but neither is the SWATT, RATS, or SAM. But you can also wear the RATS Tourniqet around your waist (not as a belt), look up John Lovell's vid.
Zachary Lankford there might be issues with patient confidentiality is the thing. A call-out is not really the time to be getting releases signed 😁. It would be fascinating though. The only time I've seen EMTs at work is when they're working on me and I'm not paying much attention to what they're doing
grouch314 and getting a realise signed would be funny "Sir before i put this tournequet on and save your life, are you ok with being on UA-cam. (Patient passes out) Um Sir? Sir? I think he'll be cool with it."😁😂
SM, based on your advice (and that of John at Active Self Protection) I began carrying an ankle IFAK (or AFAK). I'm having and issue with it. My Hyfin Compact chest seals are setting off the metal detectors where I have to go daily. I know they are the issue because a security officer I know wanded all of my items, and the chest seals were the culprit. I was hoping to keep my AFAK discrete when going through security. In your video on them, when you opened it, it looked like the Halo chest seals also have an aluminum looking inner lining to the packaging. (thanks for opening it!) Do you know of another brand of vented chest seal that will not set off a metal detector?
Thanks for the quick reply. I did see a old (2009?) US Army video comparing chest seals. It looked like the Asherman was having trouble sticking to a simulated "bloody" patient at the 3:00 mark. ua-cam.com/video/elqADz2Sgeg/v-deo.html Have they been improved since then? The Hyfin and Halo both look super sticky - and SM says that is a medical term! :-)
I think it's the mylar-like wrapper. And, I only was carrying 1, not 2 in my AFAK. I have tape to make another out of the packaging, if needed, as I have learned that from you. :) You really have increased my readiness for medical emergencies. We now have trauma kits with CAT tourniquets in both cars, in the range bag, and in my briefcase, and my AFAK (SWAT-T in the AFAK for compactness). Thanks so much for all you do!!! Now I'm looking for some real training in my are of NW Ohio.
I know this is off topic but how does the application of this on a hairy chested man or a woman with big boobs affect the functionality of this product?
Educating tens of thousands > opening one chest seal
I highly value it when you open packaging on screen! I can barely afford these potentially life saving supplies - but without knowledge and training in their use they are worthless - so your demonstrations are a big stop-gap help to me until I can get to training where I can do this myself! Thank you.
Hear hear!
Me, too!
Thank you for the feedback!
Frank Robertson absolutely I agree thank you very much for doing that
Can you use a hyfin chest seal for a stab wound in the abdominal area or the neck?
I have the twin pack of the hyfin vent chest seals literally crammed in my ifak pretty bent out of shape and I always wondered if they would still perform as intended, thanks for the reassurance Skinny Medic!
same here , corners bent , half folded at the middle . i too was concerned about this but not anymore !
These short demonstrations are so incredibly useful. Having evidence based answer to a simple question: "Can I fold a chest seal?" is incredibly reassuring.
Having your wealth of videos covering these topics is great.
Thank you.
Man, this is a great video. I am a Trauma Surgeon, and I always wondered. Thank you. I will pass this on. We all wondered.
Ik this is a few years late but do vented and nonvented have different purposes?
Thank you for sacrificing a top shelf chest seal just to educate us for free. I really appreciate it. Thank you and keep up the great work!
I love it when things are opened on video so I can see what it is and outs features especially pouches and other stuff (I know that's different) but have just one person who shows the stuff benefits everyone else so they know what they are gonna get
Awesome!
Feeding the algorithm here to encourage more of these videos
I truly appreciate the fact that you open things in videos and show your viewers what to expect. It’s very helpful
thank you for this video! my mom's a nurse from the mid 70's and she really digs the new stuff that we use today and your videos are always a pleasure to watch. cheers from the Philippines!
Hey thanks for sharing, man! As for opening the stuff you do, keep opening them. You can't teach properly without doing so. Having the actual item opened up and seeing how to properly use this stuff is very important. It could save someone's life.
Thanks again for sharing and God Bless
@skinnymedic, thanks for the video. I’m a Respiratory Therapist. I work in a level 1 trauma center so I see a lot. I’ve put in a lot of nights in the ER, but we still don’t see some of the things you show. I see a lot of guys on forums that have IFAKS 14g caths for rapid needle decompressions for tension pneumos, but they don’t know where or how to insert one. Along with nasal trumpets, but they don’t know one size doesn’t fit all. Thanks for posting these videos.
Yeah, I was looking at IFAKs and wondering what the actual use case is for the nasal trumpets. Sealing a chest wound is pretty straight forward - apply giant sticky pad to stop unwanted air ingress. The nasal trumpet and needle are for people with more training/knowledge than I have. But if nothing else maybe it's good to have them on hand even if you don't know wtf to do with them in case someone is on scene who does?
Thank you for all the videos you make. You seem to always release a video exactly when I'm thinking about that topic. I always go through your past videos as my first source when looking for information. I like it when you open up items. I personally can't afford to buy extras of everything. So, when you open them and demonstrate how to properly use the item, it is an immense help. Thank you for your service and continued support for training and helping others.
I think it’s great you open stuff. It allows to see the product and better understand them... keep up the good work
I always see these chest seals sold in 2-packs. I would assume you want to keep both in an IFAK to treat an entrance and exit wound, correct? I was thinking I could split them up to supply more kits, but I guess you always want at least two. Thanks for demo'ing these on camera.
Is UA-cam still demonizing your vids? They should do something about this. The system is broken since they tried to change a good running system. I think they should support your channel (at Least the vids with medical Content) by not demonizing your content
Great vid! Happy to see your vids!
it seems like every other one gets flagged
Hello, new to the channel just wondering why UA-cam would want to demonitize this guys videos.
Medical aid has come a long way. Back in the day we were taught how to seal a chest wound with the plastic wrapper from the individual bandage and 100mph tape. Thankfully I never had to use that training. I like it when you open items on camera to show the real deal.
Love that you open and show how products are used
To anyone who gets butthurt about him opening it - it's his money and his life, he can do what he wants. 😂 You're the man skinnymedic.
i know i am a few years late... but THANK YOU... i had training as a Marine.. and training from our Corpsman... but that was many many moons ago....
What about heat and storage? I live in FL and it gets pretty hot, and not a lot of shade in employee parking area
Also following
Always show everything about the product & practical use for it including opening, storage & does & don’ts thank you!
Glad it helps
Thanks for this vid! I just received an IFAK refill from you and it wouldn’t quite fit in the bag. I knew I would find the info here!
Very cool video I agree with you open stuff up so you can show people how things work. There is always going to be hard to please people no matter what you do. Thank you for all you do in teaching us you do an amazing job. I have one question how long do these last if you store in your bag how many years could you keep before having to buy a new one?
I was woundering, do the abdominal pads made for covering stitches fold safely as well as regular abdominal pads. If I’m thinking correctly, chest-seals are different. But, they seem similar atleast. That’s why I thought I’d ask here.
I was wondering what the proper storage for a nasopharyngeal airway was? Can they be bent or folded? If you've already done this video I apologize.
I love the videos
I work as a RSO at a Gun Range , can you please do a video on trauma to the hand ….when a gun explodes in someone’s hand
Really good to know, I just assumed you couldn’t. Makes packing IFAKs much easier
I have a Condor EMT lite pouch and wondered if the hyfin vented chest seal would fit, thank you so much.
Hello Skinny medic. I am old school where we have never had a commercially made chest seal. Please tell me why a commercial chest seal is better than a zip lock bag and waterproof tape. The zip loc bag and tape are also much cheaper than the commercial chest seals .I do enjoy your video's keep them coming.Thank you and have a good day
Hyfin makes a compact chest seal that takes up less room in a kit if space is a real big problem.
SkinnyMedic, you are the man. I thoroughly enjoy your sharing of knowledge. Great job, God Bless. Drive on!
Thank you for the support!
Hey thanks for the video. I got some in my bag right now that barely fit but I'm fixing to go bend them so they'll fit cause I now see it will. Thanks again
You & your work are such a blessing. Thank you.
Thanks for answering that question and for opening that package. It helped seeing the actual crease one might encounter and how it flattened out. A quick but worthwhile video.
Thank you for the support!
Tysm for opening it and showing on screen ❤
I have wondered about that for a long time. Thanks.
Nice video! Thanks, and I just got my first package from your generous sale, very cool, love the size of the small red pouch. Still room to add an item or two! Looking forward to the ankle pouch. Thanks a lot for the videos, and the good prices on equipment. Shalom
Hey , thanks for your cool vids and resources. A kid at my agency gives the Hy Fin chest seals really bad reviews and prefers the Asherman Chest seals. He said the Hy Fins sucked when he was in Iraq trying to use them on kids that were diaphoretic and bloody. I found this out after we had replaced our "expired" asherman chest seals with Hy Fin chest seals. Have you had any experience or preferences with Hy Fin vs Asherman ?
Just bought them from you and I was wondering about this, great timing! Oh by the way, keep opening stuff up. That way I don’t have too!
Recently i read that the german military has removed chestseals from IFAKs for a few years now supposedly because the danger isn`t worth the effort. What`s your take on it? Especially when one isn`t trained with the needle.
Thanks. Best med advise for a first responder, have learned much.
Thanks!
Very useful video , thank you .
If I took the smaller chest seals and opened them and stuffed two into one pack to save space would that be ok? They take up too much space in my pocket ifak. If not I just might eliminate them.
Can you fold the Vented Hyfin Chest Seals without issue?
Serious question: Was taught in military to just use the plastic wrapping from the pressure bandage as a chest seal (supposedly the inside of the packaging is sterile too). Does that not work anymore or ...? Improvise, Adapt and Overcome!
Perfect timing! I've been wondering about this too.
I leave my IFAK in the car and sometimes forget to take it out when I get home. Will the heat of a closed car in the summer be a problem?
Very helpful. Thanks for explaining and demonstrating that!
What you show with the one non vent chest seal its allowed for the one with vent too? I ask because i want put the chest seal with vent in ifak but they are a little to big for it. Thank you!
Is the beacon chest seal effective?
Next run you do of AFAK's you should make it to hold chest seals
Thank for the info, I have been wondering this myself. I do appreciate you opening one of them so everyone can see what happens when they get folded. If you were opening a $100 sterile, non-reusable item I might cringe a bit but it's your gear and you can do what you feel you need to do to make your point, and these chest seals are not very expensive. However, I would not be upset if you chose not to open something up.
Anyone who has an opinion of what you should do with your gear in your videos should stop watching, go make their own videos and then they can make the decisions.
i have a slightly smaller hyfin chest seal and a really small bleeders pouch, is it ok to have multiple folds in it? (3 folds)
Question Sir, my Halo chest seal is expired. Do I need to throw it out and get a new one, or can I just put some duct tape in the kit to tape it down?
I would get a New one,but still keep the expired seal. As long as no damage to package it will last much longer.
What about removing them and putting them in sealed plastic bags to save space? Still gonna dry out?
Can you fold the Halo chest seals? I have a small trauma kit pouch and would like to fit those inside????
was looking for exactely this information. Thanks!
Can you use a chest seal for a gunshot wound to the abdominal area?
What if you made a bunch of tiny holes in the chest seal, could that work as a vent?
no it wouldn't seal
I wondered about folding them too. Thanks for the info!
Hey skinny medic, I have a question. Does a vented chest seal do the job of a decompression needle? Because wouldn't a vented chest seal be far more easy and safe to apply than a decompression needle in the case of a sucking chest wound? Or are there pros and cons to both?
I've always wondered what the point of a decompression needle was when there are vented chest seals that allow air to come out.
joe Anderson A tension pneumothorax can still be created without a penetration wound, such as a fractured rib that damages the lung and causes internal bleeding. A vented chest seal can prevent pressure build up from a sucking chest wound but may not be the best solution.
Taylor Hodsden oh thank you.
It's nice to have, but not a substitute. They can fail, get clogged up with *stuff*, or pressure can still build up. But if you haven't ever gotten pro training to use a needle D, don't try it.
It can help prevent but doesn't do the same job
Can they stay in my truck when its below freezing?
Thanks. Always enjoy your vids
Thanks!
Thanks for this post. You validated what I went with.
Yes, it did help. Thanks!
Awesome!
Thanks Skinny. When you open and demonstrate your stuff then we don’t have to.
Thanks! Very clear explanation
How many times can it be folded im trying to have it fit my hsgi o3d.
Nice information thanks.
This helps a lot. Great video. Thanks
Thanks for the exact information I was looking for!
Thank you for your videos! Keep up the good work!
thanks, lots of medical gear outfitters packages arrive at my house
Hey thank you so much for answering this age old question. Is one fold the max amount of recommended folds or can it be folded again to fit a smaller pocket?
You can fold it multiple times
I was watching the other day a live on FB from the TCCC committee, and they were debating the changes for thoracic injuries, such as using vented (non-occlussive) chest seal or otherwise phrased non-occlussive dressing. And in absence of one such, leaving the wound open. Any thoughts on that? And should this change become the new TCCC standard, would products like tegaderm films (for example) which are labelled as "breathable" be considered as non-occlussive dressings in that respect? Thanks in advance for you reply;
Great video! Skinny, are you planning to come to NC to teach a class next year? I was thinking of attending, but you're about 4 hours away and I don't want to make the drive if I don't have to.
Excellent video
Thanks
Helpful, thanks
You should make a cat tourniqeut that's long enough to act as a belt because some people may not have enough pockets to carry a regular one
You can get a pouch or case for your belt. Or just fix them to your belt with a strong rubberband. Just some options for carrying TQs :D
lol wut
evan wants to wear it instead of a belt. the problem with that idea even if it was long enough is you would have to take it off and have an extra belt in your car if you ever needed to go somewhere with metal detectors.
But then when you need it, your trousers will fall down
There are a couple companies I know of making tourniquet belts, not TCCC recommend or anything, but neither is the SWATT, RATS, or SAM. But you can also wear the RATS Tourniqet around your waist (not as a belt), look up John Lovell's vid.
Awesome channel!!!! Thx for the good work!
Great video. As someone else asked: What effect does Southern summer heat (inside your vehicle) (long term) have on your trauma bag and IFAK?
Following
Very good question ! Did you have an answer ?
Just a suggestion but would you be willing to wear a Gopro headsit or chest rig when you go on a EMT call. It might be interesting.
Zachary Lankford there might be issues with patient confidentiality is the thing. A call-out is not really the time to be getting releases signed 😁. It would be fascinating though. The only time I've seen EMTs at work is when they're working on me and I'm not paying much attention to what they're doing
grouch314 i thought of the patient confidentially thing it was just just an idea i had had during the video. It wasn't all thought out yet.
grouch314 and getting a realise signed would be funny "Sir before i put this tournequet on and save your life, are you ok with being on UA-cam. (Patient passes out) Um Sir? Sir? I think he'll be cool with it."😁😂
Zachary Lankford it's a great idea and if it was possible, it would be really informative and interesting, I just don't think it's feasible
I can't do that
Thank you for posting !
Thank you for the support!
SM, based on your advice (and that of John at Active Self Protection) I began carrying an ankle IFAK (or AFAK). I'm having and issue with it. My Hyfin Compact chest seals are setting off the metal detectors where I have to go daily. I know they are the issue because a security officer I know wanded all of my items, and the chest seals were the culprit. I was hoping to keep my AFAK discrete when going through security. In your video on them, when you opened it, it looked like the Halo chest seals also have an aluminum looking inner lining to the packaging. (thanks for opening it!) Do you know of another brand of vented chest seal that will not set off a metal detector?
DannyH ashman is in a paper /plastic packet. No metal in it at all
Thanks for the quick reply. I did see a old (2009?) US Army video comparing chest seals. It looked like the Asherman was having trouble sticking to a simulated "bloody" patient at the 3:00 mark. ua-cam.com/video/elqADz2Sgeg/v-deo.html Have they been improved since then? The Hyfin and Halo both look super sticky - and SM says that is a medical term! :-)
That is interesting ... I am not why they set off the metal detector
I think it's the mylar-like wrapper. And, I only was carrying 1, not 2 in my AFAK. I have tape to make another out of the packaging, if needed, as I have learned that from you. :) You really have increased my readiness for medical emergencies. We now have trauma kits with CAT tourniquets in both cars, in the range bag, and in my briefcase, and my AFAK (SWAT-T in the AFAK for compactness). Thanks so much for all you do!!! Now I'm looking for some real training in my are of NW Ohio.
great vid, lot of things I have wanted to know
Awesome!
Thanks for the info
Thanks Skinny
Thank you for the support!
I know this is off topic but how does the application of this on a hairy chested man or a woman with big boobs affect the functionality of this product?
These are designed to stick to ANYTHING... including Chuck Norris's hairy chest and/or a p*rnstar's boobs.
Really appreciate your videos. I'd love to support your page. Could you make a custom pledge that is not monthly?
Good advice!
Thanks!
Thank you.
Thank you!
Cool vid brother!
Thank you for watching!
👍often wondered about that.
Skinny, what you you think about Fox Chest Seals? Haven't seen you mention them... Thanks from the UK, keep-up the great work!
I don't have much experience with them
Thanks SM.
Thank you for watching!
What is the shelf life?
About 5 years. It's printed on the package
about 5 years
Good video. Best
Doing in giveaways for Christmas?
Yes but it will be on my Patreon page ... www.patreon.com/skinnymedic
+SkinnyMedic Ok
Thank you!! I didn't want to open mine.