Chapter 14
 Since the chest, abdomen, and pelvis contain many
organs important to life, injury to these areas can be
fatal.
 Chest injuries are a leading cause of trauma deaths
each year.
 Common types of injuries include rib fractures and
puncture wounds.
 Rib fractures are usually caused by a direct force to the
chest, but are rarely life threatening.
 Chest wounds are either open or closed.
 Signals of serious chest injury include—
 Trouble breathing.
 Severe pain.
 Flushed, pale, ashen or bluish skin.
 Deformity.
 Coughing up blood.
 Bruising at the site of a blunt injury.
 A distinctive “sucking” sound as the person
breathes
 Call 9-1-1
 Position the victim to aid breathing.
 If ribs are broken, bind the victim’s upper arm to
the chest.
 Use a pillow or rolled blanket to support and
immobilize the area.
 If a sucking chest sound is evident, cover the wound
with dressing.
 The abdomen is the area immediately under the chest and above the
pelvis.
 Signals of serious abdominal injury include—
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Severe pain.
Bruising.
External bleeding.
Nausea.
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Vomiting (sometimes containing blood).
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Weakness.
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Thirst.
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Pain, tenderness or tight feeling in the abdomen.
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Organs protruding from the abdomen.
 If the injury involves an OPEN wound—
 Call 9-1-1
 Carefully position the victim on their back.
 Don’t apply direct pressure.
 Don’t push protruding organs back in.
 Remove clothing from around the wound.
 Apply moist, sterile dressings.
 Cover the wound with dressing.
 Cover dressings to maintain warmth.
 If the injury involves a CLOSED wound—
 Call 9-1-1
 Carefully position the victim on their back unless
you suspect injury to the head, neck or back.
 Bend the victim’s knees slightly.
 Place rolled-up pillows or blankets under the knees
for support.
 Monitor breathing, skin color and temperature
until EMS personnel arrive.
 The pelvis is the lower part of the trunk.
 The pelvis contains the bladder, reproductive
organs and part of the large intestine, including
the rectum.
 An injury to the pelvis sometimes involves the
genitals, the external reproductive organs.
 Signals of pelvic injury are the same as those for
an abdominal injury.
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Call 9-1-1
Do not move the victim unless necessary.
Control external bleeding.
Cover any protruding organs.
Care for a closed wound to the genitals as you would
any closed wound.
 If the genitalia has an open wound, apply a sterile
dressing and control bleeding with direct
pressure