13 - Trauma Overview / Head and Spine Injuries Flashcards
What is kinetic energy?
The energy of a moving object
Newton’s first law of motion states that objects at rest tend to stay at rest and objects in motion tend to stay in motion unless acted on by some force
(902)
Describe the peripheral nervous system’s anatomical components and their functions.
The PNS is made up of the following:
Somatic NS: Controls voluntary functions
Autonomic NS: Controls involuntary functions
Sympathetic: Fight or Flight
Parasympathetic: Digestion
(1043-4)
List the three protective coverings of the brain and spinal cord, from top to bottom.
Dura mater
Arachnoid
Pia mater
(1042)
A patient involved inn a vehicle accident hits his knee on the dashboard. Which collision is this injury describing?
Secondary collision
What pertinent information can be obtained by assessing a vehicle that was involved in a crash?
Location of impact: Front, lateral, rear (used to assess potential trauma to the body
Broken windshield: Potential head trauma through impact
Deployed airbags: Impact on the chest from the steering wheel if non deployed
What two conditions can cause vaginal bleeding in a woman who does not appear to be pregnant and may not realize that they are pregnant?
Ectopic pregnancy
Spontaneous abortion
While assessing a patient who was stuck in the head with a pipe, the patient appears to have a runny nose and is complaining of a salty taste inn his throat. Explain what these findings mean.
The force of the impact caused damage and leakage of the cerebral spinal fluid
(1042)
As you continue to assess the patient in the above scenario you notice ecchymosis around the eyes and over the right mastoid process. What are these signs called and what type of head injury are they associated with?
Injury: Basilar skull fracture
Signs: Racoon eyes and Battle signs
(1047)
Rear-end crashes are known to cause what type of injury:
Whiplash
A non-displaced skull fracture may also be described as:
Linear fracture
(1047)
What is Cushing’s Triad? List the S/S of Cushing’s Triad.
Cushing’s Triad is a set of signs that indicate increased intracranial pressure in the brain.
S/S: Bradycardia, Widened pulse pressure, and Irregular respirations
The text lists several significant mechanisms of injury in vehicle crashes. List three of these significant MOI’s.
Death of an occupant in the vehicle
Severe deformity of the vehicle or intrusion into the vehicle
Ejection from the vehicle (906)
You are assessing a patient who fell from construction scaffolding. What questions should be asked for this type of injury?
Height of fall
Type of surface struck
The part of the body that hit first, followed by the path of energy displacement (913)
Where is the accumulation of blood located in the epidural hematoma? How is it caused?
Location: Between the inner surface of the skull and the dura mater
Cause: A skull fracture that tears an underlying artery
(1049)
You are assessing a patient who fell and hit her head while sking down a steep hill. Bystanders state the patient lost consciousness after she fell. She regained consciousness for a brief period but is currently unconscious. Your assessment reveals unequal pupils, a HR of 48, a BP of 168/94 and an irregular RR of 40. Briefly explain what is causing the findings in your assessment..
Epidural Hematoma, Lucid intervals
Epidural Hematoma is an Arterial bleed into the epidural space that will result in rapidly progressing symptoms.
S/S: Lucid intervals
(1049-50)
If the velocity of a bullet is doubled, the energy that is available to cause damage is:
Quadrupled
(902)
A victim that was standing in close proximity to an explosions would suffer from which of the blast mechanisms?
Primary: Injuries do to the blast wave itself
The most important step in treating patients with a head injury, regardless of the severity, is:
Ensure a stable airway, breathing, and circulation (ABC’s)