16- Musculoskeletal Emergencies Flashcards
What are common injury complexes?
certain mechanisms of injury cause injuries/diseases in multiple parts of the body.
Why must you be thorough in your physical exam if you recognize a common injury complex mechanism?
because the patient might only present with foot pain (from a fall), but you have to look into all the body systems because there might be additional injuries that are not causing symptoms
What are the 3 most common causes of spinal cord injuries?
motor vehicle accidents, falls from heights, or gunshot wounds.
Which vertebrae are injured most? Least?
Cervical –> lumbar –> thoracic
What are some Sy/Sx that might show a high risk for spinal cord injury?
pain anywhere along the spine, loss of sensory or motor function or incontinence
Why can cancer increase the risk for compression fractures of the spine?
metastisis can cause spinal bone destruction
How can IV drug use increase the risk for compression fractures of the spine?
it can cause epidural abscesses
How can prior spine surgery increase the risk for compression fractures of the spine?
it makes the spine stiff and weak
What are 3 other things that can increase the risk for compression fractures of the spine?
rheumatic diseases, chronic steroid use and osteoporosis
What is the initial management of spinal cord injury?
IMMOBILIZATION. You need to do this to complete a full neuro exam
What are the 3 X-ray views you need for the cervicals?
AP, lateral and odontoid views
When do you need a CT of the spine following an injury?
patients with identified fractures, neurological deficits without identifiable fractures, pain out of proportion to the injury, or equivocal finding on plain X-rays.
What is a crush injury?
prolonged, continuous pressure on an extremity, usually following collapse of a structure.
How can a crush injury lead to hyperkalemia?
since there is a lot of potassium inside cells (relative to the outside), when cells pop from ischemia a lot of potassium pours out into the interstitum. This leads to hyperkalemia
Which molecules rush into cells when ischemia happens from crush injuries?
there is a large influx of sodium, chloride, calcium and water into the cells.
What molecules enter the blood from muscle cells after a crush injury?
release of muscle cell components can cause hyperkalemia, myoglobinemia, hypocalcemia, hyperhosphatemia, metabolic acidosis and hyperuricemia.
Which molecules increase the risk of renal failure after a crush injury?
K, PO4, and myoglobin from the blood
Acute renal failur with severe crush injuries leads to what % of mortality?
20-40% mortality
What causes the pt to die in acute renal failure from crush injuries?
Cardiac arrhythmias occur because of hyperkalemia and hypocalcemia, and hypoperfusion and hypovolemia also depresses cardiac function.
What are 2 neurological complications with crush injuries?
flaccid paralysis with patchy loss of sensation that mimics a spinal cord injury.
How can you differentiate neurological problems from a peripheral crush injury from that of a spinal cord injury?
spinal cord injuries lead to incontinence.
What is the anatomical makeup extremities that can lead to compartment syndrome?
muscle groups are separated from one another via fascial sheaths. Increased pressure within these closed myofascial spaces causes decreased perfusion and oxygen deprivation. This hurts muscle cells, nerves, blood vessels and the supporting tissue matrix.
What is compartment syndrome?
damage to a tissue from an increase in tissue pressure.
What are the external factors that can cause compartment syndrome?
o Those that reduce the size of the muscle compartment
o Tight casts and splints, various occlusive dressings and eschar of burns
What are the internal factors that can cause compartment syndrome?
o Those that increase the compartment volume.
o Bleeding, tissue swelling, iatrogenic fluid infusion infusion.
What are the 2 signs that a patient might be suffering from compartment syndrome?
pain out of proportion to the injury and pain when passively stretching the muscle.
What is compartment syndrome confirmed?
the measurement of an elevated compartment pressure via a handheld device
What pressure (mmHg) is considered dangerous in a compartment and thus defined as compartment syndrome?
> 40mmHg above normal
What is the treatment of comparment syndrome?
surgical decompression of the compartment.
What is the time limit before permanent myoneural damage occurs in compartment syndrome?
8 hours
What is an open/compound fracture?
any fracture with a puncture wound or laceration to the soft tissue or frank exposure of the bone
How severe is a grade I open Fx?
<1 cm long wound size
Minimal contamination
Low-energy MOI
What are the antibiotic regimens for a grade I open Fx?
1st/2nd cephalosporin 3 days
How severe is a grade II open Fx?
1-10 cm long wound size
Moderate contamination
Moderate MOI
What are the antibiotic regimens for a grade II open Fx?
1st/2nd cephalosporin + aminoglycosides for 3 days
How severe is a grade III open Fx?
>10 cm long wound size High-energy MOI Comminuted Fx Extensive tissue damage Extensive contamination
What are the antibiotic regimens for a grade III open Fx?
1st/2nd cephalosporin + aminoglycosides for 5 days
What % of open fractures have multiple system injuries?
30%
What are the initial treatments for open fractures?
o Removal of obvious debris by irrigation
**o Cover the wound
o Tetanus prophylaxis
**o Antibiotics that cover gram + and gram - bacteria
o Temporarily stabilizing the limb
What are the epidemiologies of pelvic Fx’s?
motor vehicle accidents (MVA’s), motor cycles (murder cycles), and pedestrian collisions.
What is the assocation between the MOI’s and injury complexes to cause pelvic Fx’s?
o Often takes a large MOI to cause pelvic Fx’s so there is usually other injuries present as well.
What are the compliations to pelvic Fx’s?
pelvic compartment syndrome with blood (lots of vessels down there), death from hemorrhagic shock, and damage to the reproductive organs and GI.
Where should the physical exam focus for pelvic Fx’s?
should focus on ecchymosis (bruising), hematomas in perineal or scrotal area, pelvic instability, gross blood at the urethral opening, high-riding or nonpalpable prostate on rectal exam, and vaginal bleeding.
When should you do an angiography for a pelvic Fx pt?
considered for hemodynamically unstable patients believed to have massive bleeding in the pelvis. It can see which vessels are injured so that immediate embolization can be performed.
What are the 2 main causes of long bone fractures?
- Blunt trauma (MVA or fall)
* Penetrating trauma (gunshot wounds)
What are the 3 early complications to long bone Fx’s?
o Blood loss, rarely leading to shock
o Fat embolism syndrome
o Infection