Love Without Measure

‘I’m just going to check your ribs,’ she told him, and tapped the side of his chest nearest to her.

Sure enough, it sounded hollow and unduly loud.

She wriggled back to Patrick. ‘I don’t like to rock the boat,’ she said quietly, ‘but our patient’s got a tension pneumothorax—I think his right lung’s collapsed.’

Patrick’s language deteriorated rapidly. ‘You’ll have to come out and let me in.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous. Get me a cannula and I’ll do it.’

‘With or without anaesthetic?’

‘We don’t have time to wait for the lignocaine to work. Just give me the stuff and talk me through it. If it hurts, no doubt he’ll be grateful later.’

Muttering, clearly reluctant, he handed her the cannula. ‘Between the fourth and fifth ribs, to the side and just below his nipple. And for God’s sake mind the intercostal nerve and blood vessels—they run just below each rib.’

‘Fine. Got that.’ Cutting away Nigel’s shirt, she cleaned the area quickly and opened the packet containing the cannula.

‘Right, Nigel, I’m going to make a hole through into your ribcage and let out the air that’s trapped outside your lung stopping you from breathing—OK? I’m sorry, it may hurt a bit.’

Nigel, now desperate for air, nodded. She guessed the other side of his chest might have similar problems, or perhaps a haemothorax. Whatever, if she didn’t move soon, he was going to die.

Taking a steadying breath, and with Patrick’s calm voice instructing her from behind, she slid the thick, solid trocar instrument through the intercostal muscle, which filled the space between the ribs, and into the pleural cavity, then slid the cannula over it and withdrew the trocar. There was a rush of air, and within seconds Nigel’s colour changed back to a healthier pink.