Chest trauma Flashcards
What are the causes for an open or closed chest injury?
- Open: caused by penetrating trauma
- Closed: caused by blunt trauma
What are some signs and symptoms of chest injuries?
- Pain at the site of injury
- Pain aggravated by increased breathing
- Dyspnea
- Hemoptysis
- Failure of the chest to expand normally
- Rapid, weak pulse and low blood pressure
How do you assess chest injuries?
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DCAP -BTLS
* *Deformities Contustions Abrasions Punctures/Penetrations
* *Burns Tenderness Lacerations Swelling - Chest wall movement
- Paradoxical movement
- Hemoptysis
- Shock
- Cyanosis
WHat are the signs and symptoms of rib fracture?
- Pleuritic chest pain
- A fractured rib may lacerate the surface of the lung
- Patients will avoid taking deep breaths and breathing will be rapid and shallow
- May have contusion
- Often self splinted
What is the treatment for a rib fracture?
- High flow O2
- Position of comfort
What are the possible signs and symptoms of chest flail?
- 3 or more ribs broken in 2 or more places
- Or when the sturnum is fractured along with several ribs
- Free floating chest wall segment
- Paradoxical chest movememnt
- Dyspnea- poor tidal volume
What is the treatment for chest flail?
- High flow O2
- Immobilize flail segment
- Supine
- Rapid support
- Maintain the airway
- Provide respiratory support
What is pneumothorax? What happens during pneumothorax? What is an open or penetrating wound to the chest called?
- Air accumulates in the pleural space
- Air enters through a hole in the chest wall. The lung will collapse which may take a few minutes or hours
- Sucking chest wound
What are the signs and sympotms of pneumothorax?
- Dyspnea
- Sharp chest pain
- Unequal breath sounds
How do you care for an open pneumothorax?
- Clear and manage the airway
- Provide oxygen
- Seal and open wound with an occlusive dressing
- Tape down all four sides or create a flutter valve
- Watch for tension pneumothorax
*
What is spontaneous pneumothorax? When should it be suspected?
- Some people are born with or develop weak areas on the surface of the lungs. These areas can rupture spontaneously
- Suspect in cases of sudden chest pain with no cause
What are the causes of tension pneomothorax?
- Sealing all four sides of the dressing on a sucking chest patient
- Pressure builds up as entering air is trapped.
- Fractured rib puncturing the lung or bronchus
- Spontaneous pneumothorax
- any condition that leads to pneumothorax can cause a tension pneumothorax
What are the signs and symptoms of tension pneumothorax?
- Progressive dyspnea
- Absent/decreased lung sounds
- Jcugular venous distention (JVD)
- Traacheal shift
- Hypotension
- Tachycardia
What is the treatment for Tension pneomothorax?
- High flow O2
- Rapid transport
- Unseal one side of occlusion dressing
What is Hemothorax? What is it s sign of?
- Collection of blood in the pleural space. There will be decreased breath sounds on affected side
- Sign of shock
*hemopneumothorax,the combination of two conditions:pneumothorax, or air in the chest cavity, and hemothorax, or blood in the chest cavity*
