Emergencies Flashcards
What about infant anatomy makes them more prone to head injuries?
Large heads in comparison to body size, weak neck muscles, thin skulls, open sutures
What bones comprise the base of the skull?
sphenoid, temporal, occipital, ethmoid
What information is good to gt on a fall history?
Witnessed? Height? Immediate cry? Inconsolable? Vomiting? Time since injury? arousability? Size of hematoma? Other injuries?
Why might it not be concerning if a child is “drowsy?” What is a concerning sign as far as sleep after trauma is concerned?
Normal nap time; Excessively sleepy or hard to arouse with vomiting and irritability
What does primary survey consist of (time sensitive)?
ABC’s, Neuro status, Vital signs
What components are in the neuro status exam?
Glasgow Coma Scale, pupillary responses, sucking reflex absent, muscle tone (floppy baby is an axial injury)
What are the scores of the GCS for Eye Opening?
No response: 1
To pain: 2
To speech: 3
Spontaneous: 4
What are the scores of the GCS for Best Verbal Response?
No response: 1 Incomprehensible sound: 2 Inappropriate words: 3 Confused (irritable infant): 4 Oriented (infant coos): 5
What are the scores of the GCS for Best Motor Response?
No Response: 1
Abnormal extension (decerebrate posturing): 2
Abnormal flexion (decoricate posturing): 3
Withdraws to pain: 4
Localizes (infant withdraws to touch): 5
Obeys (infant moves spontaneously/purposefully): 6
What are the components of the secondary survey?
Head/neck and the rest of the body
What are the components of the head/neck survey?
C-spine alignment (x-ray through collar), fundoscopic exam, hematomas (size and location), step-offs, crepitus, lacerations, fontanels, basilar skull fx
What are signs of a basilar skull fx?
Battle’s sign, periorbital ecchymosis, hemotympanum, otorrhea/rhinorrhea (CSF)
DOCUMENT NEGATIVE EXAM FINDINGS
What is the prognosis for a subdural (dural border) hematoma? Where does it occur? What is pathognomonic for this injury?
Poor; between the dura and the arachnoid membrane, there is a tearing of bridging veins and low pressure bleeds, dissects arachnoid away from dura; diffuse brain injury is a/w it (pathognomonic)
What symptoms is a subdural hematoma usually a/w? What does a CT reveal? What is special in this lesion?
LOC (lingering), irritability, lethargy, bulging fontanelle, vomiting. CT reveals crescent-shaped lesion, usually in the parietal area. It usually crosses suture lines
What is the prognosis for an epidural hematoma?
Better than subdural (it takes more force to get blood into the subdural space, not as much a/w this injury)
What is the mechanism of injury for epidural hematoma?
Rupture of arteries +/- underlying fx (usually +). Typical hx: brief LOC, lucid period followed by deterioration
What is unique about an epidural hematoma?
It is eliptically shaped, doesn’t cross sutures (confined by suture lines so it bulges into the brain instead of spreading around.
What is the prognosis of a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)?
Better than epidural, most blood comes from arteriole venous malformation.
What are CT findings of SAH?
Small dense “slivers,” blood in cisterns,, sulci, and fissures. Blood also in CSF.
What are sx of SAH?
from normal to LOC, may be visible on CT
How do you treat SAH?
Serial CTs, WARN PARENTS OF THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR!
How do you manage an SAH with no ICH and no skull fx after CT?
Take head injury precausions, PALPATE INTO LACERATION, monitor for behavior change, vomiting, decreased arousability, seizure activity, and irritability. Wake up every 2-3 hours if you are concerned about sleep.
How do you manage an SAH with ICH +/- skull fx?
neuro consult, admit (PICU?) where they will do an evacuation of ICH with surgery to repair fx OR observation with repeat imaging
How do you define a concussion? How is it usually caused?
Traumatically induced alteration in mental status with or without an associated loss of consciousness; direct blunt force leads to stretching and shearing of axons (they can snap)
Symptoms of concussion
Amnesia, confusion or blunted affect, distractability, delayed response, emotional lability, visual changes, repetitive speech pattern
When MUST you get a CT?
With EtOH or other substance use; with vomiting following head trauma
Prognosis of a concussion
HA, mental fogginess, etc resolves within 7-10 days. Severe, prolonged or worsening HA, vomiting, deterioration in mental status are emergent. Post concussive syndrome can last for 3 months or longer.
Second impact syndrome
2nd concussion within weeks results in brain swelling, herniation and death. Children are at increased risk. May need cleared by neuro.
What are important components of a post-concussive exam?
GCS rating, CN II-XII test, balance, gait, cognitive/memory testing, head, eyes, ears, nose, neck/throat, chest, and extremity exam
What is the classification used for epiphyseal fractures called?
Salter-Harris
What is a toddler’s fracture?
Usually occurs around the time children begin to walk, non-displaced spiral fx of the tibia, sx are irritability, refusal to walk
What one thing should you ALWAYS do before and after splinting/reducing/ or any other intervention?
DOCUMENT NV STATUS
What bones should you should you suspect child abuse if they are broken?
Femur, acromion, spinous process, skull, posterior rib (pathognomonic), any spiral fx with a story that doesn’t line up
What is the CP of a child with a nursemaid’s elbow dislocation?
arm is slightly flexed and prone, refusal to use arm