Calling Doctors, Nurses, Medics etc: GSW info

What kind of gun? what caliber? At what range is he shot- far vs near Vs point blank?

The more we understand what the plot needs, the more we can come up with an answer. However, if this guy is protecting someone, and you need this protection, that means you can't have a through and through, or the other guy gets shot. Which means a lot more damage to your victim.

Gut shots can last quite a while before dying with minimal care, providing that no arteries are severed. You don't want the patient bleeding out. Sucking chest wound produces a dramatic crash and can be treated easily for a temporary solution which will last a bit, although you'd be rushing them to a hospital.

Gun shots that don't hit the center of the torso (ribs, shoulder, hips) are not likely to kill, other then through blood loss, but any bullet into a joint will cause at least some level of permanent impairment.

But the more we know what your plot needs, the better we can figure out how to do it. For example, how long to a paramedic arrives and how long to get to the hospital?

Best of luck,

Jim Clark-Dawe

A shot in the right part of the chest, let's say more than 6 inches to the right of the breastbone, would cause a wound in the chest skin and muscles and maybe the break of one rib and a collapse of the right lung. If the big vessels are missed, there would be no major bleeding. The left lung would remain intact and function enough to keep the person conscious and able to breath, talk, walk and so. A medical person would clean the wound and put an air-proof plaster (probably a part of the first-aid kit) on it. A doctor would likely give an antibiotic. He would measure the person's blood pressure and in case of a low pressure, introduce an intravenous fluid infusion. All this could be done in the helicopter.

Without spreading infection, major bleeding or other complications, the person could survive an undetermined amount of time even without any further care (several hours or even few days could be realistic). In a hospital, an X-ray would be done to locate the bullet and confirm the lung collapse. During the surgery, the bullet would be removed and injured tissues repaired. Few days of post-surgical care would be needed for the lung to heal properly.

Here's a medical article about pneumothorax (lung collapse) and its management.

I've always considered abdominal shots more dangerous, because of greater risk of infection and bleeding.

Here goes my third attempt to answer this. For some reason, my computer keeps crashing on answering this.

I like Boron's approach. Have a 9 mil bullet enter the chest on the right side, a little below and to the right of the right nipple, exiting posterior and breaking three ribs. Immediate injuries are a pneumothorax and a flailed chest. Lung will also be punctured, and significant bleeding would be occurring. Gun was deflected to the victim's right, bullet is a through and through, missing the person he was protecting by angling off to their right.

Immediate treatment, with no medical supplies, would involve something plastic over the wounds, taped down, with a small opening. T-shirt or other cloth would be used to bind and spread the pressure over the ribs. Patient would probably have some bloody froth, and would be in a hell of a lot of pain. Let the patient lie down or sit however he feels most comfortable.

Upon arrival of medical equipment, O2 would be administered, IV inserted, morphine depending upon medical control for pain, pressure bandage applied (you leave a little flap for air flow). Patient would be turning pale, going into shock, and will eventually lose consciousness from blood loss and pain. Keep patient warm, watch the airway, notify the hospital of what's coming, and go like hell.

However, very reasonable for the patient to survive a couple of hours before the hospital, especially if he was in good condition prior to the shooting. Biggest problem is blood loss, but with the bullet going through and the area, there's no big blood vessels and not a very big hole.

I'm not as knowledgeable about the hospital end of this, but my guess is he'd be up and moving in a couple of days, although he'd be in a lot of pain. Full recovery would be several months.

Best of luck,

Jim Clark-Dawe

A bullet that passes through the body tends to produce less damage rather then one that stays in the body. The reason is because the bullet stays solid and isn't fragmenting and/or bouncing around inside the body. A hollow point does a lot more destruction then solid bullets. But you'll need one of the gun experts to discuss bullet types.

A 9 millimeter bullet, depending upon its jacketing and load, can pass through over three inches of plywood. The human body is a lot less solid then three inches of plywood.

A 9 mil hollow point will create a small entry wound, and a great big hole on the other side and take out a crap load of human tissue (in this case, lung material) on its way through. Chances of survival is not high with any shot to the torso.

A bullet in the body, once it stops moving, is mainly a risk of infection. Most of the surgery after a GSW is to repair the damage the bullet did while it was moving. Many people have bits and pieces of bullets that aren't worth the risk of operating on to remove.

Here what you seem to want is a fairly massive initial injury with a quick recovery. A solid bullet, passing straight through the body (or reasonably straight -- it will actually probably have its path bent by hitting ribs), in that area of the chest provides a crap load of immediate medical problems, but not extensive damage that requires months of recovery. For example, the same bullet into a hip, knee, or shoulder, is going to be a lot less risk of loss of life (bleeding out is the danger), but require months of recovery time.

Best of luck,

Jim Clark-Dawe