1: Trauma Flashcards
What is Advanced trauma life support
systemic approach guiding how to manage patient following trauma. It is a systemic approach that priorities life-threatening injuries.
What are the 4 phases of ATLS
- Primary survey
- Resuscitation phase
- Secondary survey
- Definitive phase
Explain the primary survey
Life-threatening injuries should be identified and managed. Uses C, ABCDE approach
What is resuscitation phase
Continued management of problems identified in primary survey
What is the secondary survey
Using investigations to identify other less severe injuries
What is definitive care phase §
Early management of injuries identified after stabilisation. Eg. reduction of fractures
What indicates major trauma
- vehicle ejection
- other person died in collison
- fall from >2m
- person vs. car
- high-speed road collision
What investigations may be indicated in ATLS
- Blood glucose
- SpO2
- FBC
- U+E
- G+S, Cross match, Coagulation studies
- X-ray
- Urinalysis
- ABG
- ECG
- CT
- Fast scan
Which patients should have G+S, Cross-match and coagulation profile
Those who are at risk of major haemorrhage
When should urinalysis be ordered
If abdominal trauma
When is an ECG ordered
> 50y or chest trauma
When is a CT ordered
Head + neck injuries
When may a FAST scan be ordered
Look for free fluid in peritoneal or pericardial cavities
What are 3 methods to address airway control
Chin Lift
Jaw thrust
Oropharygneal airway
What fluids are given
1L 0.9% Saline
When are IV Abx given in ATLs
If open wound
When is IVIg given in ATLS
If open wound
what is a tension pneumothorax
air continually enters the pleural space but is unable to leave, increasing pressure
why is a tension pneumothorax life-threatening
- increase in pressure causes lung to collapse
- also causes ‘kinking’ of the great vessels impeding return to the heart and cardiac output leading to cardiac arrest
how is a tension pneumothorax managed initially
16G wide-bore cannula is inserted into the 2nd intercostal space mid-clavicular line
what should replace the 16G cannula
Chest drain
what is the ‘safe triangle’ for chest drain insertion
lateral border of pec major, lateral border of lattisimus dorsi and 5th intercostal space
List 7 complications of chest trauma
- Isolated rib fracture
- Multiple rib fractures
- Flail chest
- Haemothorax
- Pneumothorax
- Ruptured diaphragm
- Sternal fracture
How is an isolated rib fracture identified
clinically: localised tenderness of the chest wall
How is a simple isolated rib fracture managed
analgesia
What mechanism of injury commonly causes sternal fractures
RTA: acceleration-decceleration injury
How will patients with sternal fractures present
tenderness over anterior sternum
What is a flail segment
more than 3 ribs fractured in 2 places