Obstructive shock from tension pneumothorax
Educational use only. Not clinically reviewed29-year-old woman for Emergency recognition and initial response to obstructive shock. About 7 simulated minutes.
What you will practise
- Join unilateral breathing findings with hypoxia and shock in a compatible trauma context.
- Call for help while treating the immediately reversible threat.
- Record high-concentration oxygen while definitive pleural treatment proceeds.
- Record immediate left-chest decompression intent without waiting for imaging.
- Reassess oxygenation and circulation after the accepted intent action.
Review and sources
Not clinically reviewed. No clinician has signed this scenario.
- Coccolini F, Cremonini C, Moore EE, et al. Thoracic trauma WSES-AAST guidelines. World J Emerg Surg. 2025;20:78. PMID 41094688. doi:10.1186/s13017-025-00651-1.
- European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2025: Special Circumstances in Resuscitation. Resuscitation. 2025;215(Suppl 1):110753.
Open Sim Lab is an educational simulator, not for clinical use. It is not a clinical decision-support tool, not a dosing calculator, and is not validated for any decision affecting a real patient.