Lesson 49: Flail Chest
🎬 Watch the Lesson Video
📘 Lesson Summary
Flail chest is a serious and life-threatening condition.
It occurs when multiple ribs are broken in more than one place.
⭐ What Happens?
A section of the chest wall becomes unstable and moves independently from the rest of the chest.
👉 This severely affects breathing
🔍 Recognition
- Paradoxical breathing (chest moves in opposite direction)
- Severe pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Signs of trauma
🚨 Treatment
- Call 999 / 112 immediately
- Sit the casualty leaning towards the injured side
- Support the chest with a cushion or padding
- Support the arm if needed
- Monitor breathing closely
💡 Key Takeaways
- Flail chest is life-threatening
- Breathing is severely affected
- Immediate medical help is required