Chapter 34 - Chest Trauma Flashcards
cardiac contusion
a bruise to the heart wall caused by severe blunt trauma to the chest where the heart is violently compressed between the sternum and the spinal column.
commotio cordis
sudden cardiac arrest caused by a projectile, such as a baseball, striking the anterior chest.
flail segment
two or more adjacent ribs that are fractured in two or more places and thus move independently from the rest of the rib cage.
hemoptysis
coughing up blood or blood stained sputum.
hemothorax
blood in the pleural space, causing collapse of the lung.
open pneumothorax
an open wound to the chest that allows air to enter the pleural space and cause lung collapse.
paradoxical movement
a section of the chest that moves in the opposite direction to the rest of the chest during the phases of respiration. Typically seen with a flail segment.
pericardial tamponade
blood or fluid filling the fibrous sac around the heart, causing compression of the heart and decreasing the ability of the ventricles to effectively fill and eject blood.
pneumothorax
air in the pleural space causing collapse of the lung.
pulmonary contusion
bleeding within the lung tissue that causes a disturbance in gas exchange between the alveoli and capillaries.
sucking chest wound
an open wound to the chest that permits air to enter into the thoracic cavity.
tension pneumothorax
a condition in which the buildup of air and pressure within the thoracic cavity associated with an injured lung is so sever that is begins to shift the injured lung to the uninjured side, resulting in compression of the heart, large vessels, and the uninjured lung.
traumatic asphyxia
a severe and sudden compression of the thorax that causes a rapid increase in pressure within the chest that affects blood flow, ventilation, and oxygenation.
