Emergency Medicine Flashcards
What is the most common cause of cardiac arrest in a child? Uncommon cause? Survival?
-
Lack of oxygen supply to the heart secondary to a pulmonary problem, respiratory arrest, shock
- Choking, suffocation, airway/lung disease, near drowning
- Uncommon cause: heart disease
- Chances for survival increase dramatically if CPR & advanced life support started quickly
What are the essentials of CPR?
- Airway
- Breathing
- Circulation
How do you expose an airway?
- First priority in resuscitation
- Most common obstruction: tongue
- Head-tilt method
- Jaw-thrust method
- Neck or cervical spine injury
How do you evalulate breathing?
-
Look. Listen. Feel.
- Look for rise & fall in chest
- Listen for exhaled air
- Feel for exhaled airflow
- Rescue breathing if spontaneous absent
How do you evaluate circulation?
- Need for chest compressions determined after 2 rescue breaths
- Pulse assessment
- Infants: brachial artery
- Children: carotid artery
- Chest compressions: asystole, bradycardia
What is the definition of Shock?
- Inadequate delivery of O2 & metabolic substrates to meet the metabolic demands of tissues
- Normal or decreased BP
What are the 3 degrees of Shock?
-
Compensated
- Normal BP & CO, adequate tissue perfusion
- Maldistributed blood flow
-
Decompensated
- Hypotension, low CO
- Inadequate tissue perfusion
-
Irreversible
- Cell death, refractory to medical treatment
What are the 3 categories of Shock?
- Hypovolemic
- Septic
- Distributive
What is hypovolemic shock?
- Most common cause of shock in children
- Decreased circulating blood volume
- Hemorrhage, dehydration
- Amt volume determines compensation
- Endogenous catecholamines
- Volume loss >25% = decompensated shock
What is septic shock?
- Secondary to inflammatory response to microorganisms & toxins, abnormal blood dist.
-
Hyperdynamic stage
- Normal/high CO, bounding pulses, warm extremities, wide pulse pressure
-
Decompensated stage
- Follows hyperdynamic stage
- Impaired mental status, cool extremities, diminished pulses
What is distributive shock?
-
Distal pooling of blood or fluid extravasation
- Anaphylactic or neurogenic shock
- Medications/toxins
- Types
- Anaphylactic shock
- Neurogenic shock
- Cardiogenic shock
What is anaphylactic shock?
Extravasation of intracellular fluid from permeable capillaries
- Acute angioedema of the upper airway
- Bronchospasm
- Pulmonary edema
- Urticaria
- Hypotension
What is neurogenic shock?
- Secondary to spinal cord transection/injury
- Characterized by:
- Total loss of distal sympathetic CV tone
- Hypotension from pooling of blood w/i the vascular bed
What is cardiogenic shock?
- CO limited b/c of primary cardiac dysfunction
- Causes
- Dysrhythmias (supraventricular tachy)
- Congenital heart disease
- Impaired LV outflow
- Cardiac dysfunction after cardiac surgery
- Clinical features
- Signs & symptoms of CHF
Recognition of shock may be difficult because…..
- Presence of compensatory mechanisms
- Prevent hypotension until 25% of intravascular volume lost
- Index of suspicion for shock must be high
What are 6 historical features that may suggest the presence of shock?
- Severe vomiting & diarrhea
- Trauma w/ hemorrhage
- Febrile illness (esp immunocompromised pt)
- Symptoms of CHF
- Exposure to known allergic antigen
- Spinal cord injury
Physical exam of a patient in shock?
- BP may be normal (initial hypovolemic/septic)
- Tachycardia (before BP changes)
- Tachypnea (compensation metabolic acidosis)
- Mental status changes (poor cerebral perfusion)
- Capillary refill prolonged (cool/mottled extrem)
- Peripheral pulses bounding
Important laboratory studies for shock?
- CBC - blood loss & infection
- Electrolytes - metabolic acidosis, electrolyte ab
- BUN & creatinine - renal function/perfusion
- Ca & Glu - metabolic derangements
- Coagulation factors - DIC
- Toxicology screens - poisoning
How is shock managed?
Resuscitation? Medications?
- Initial resuscitation (ABCs)
- Supplemental O2
- Early endotracheal intubation
-
Vascular access w/ fluid resuscitation
- 20 mL/kg bolus of nl saline/LR
-
Restore intravascular volume
- IV crystalloid/colloid
-
Inotropic & vasopressor meds
- Dobutamine, dopamine, epinephrine
- Metabolic derangements treated
- Metabolic acidosos, hypocalcemia, hypoglycemia
- Broad spectrum abx for septic shock
- Blood products for hemorrhage
- FFP for DIC
Trauma is the leading cause of death in children older than _____ year of age.
______ are the leading cause of trauma.
1 year of age
Motor vehicle accidents
How is a child’s response to trauma unique?
- Head injuries common (larger % of body mass)
- Neck shorter & supports greater weight
- Rib cage more pliable, greater energy transmitted to spleen & liver
- Growth plates = weak epiphyseal-metaphyseal junction, ligaments stronger than growth plate
- Injury to the growth plate is highest risk
What is the primary survey in trauma?
- w/i 5-10 min of arrival in the ER
-
ABCDEs
- Airway
- Breathing (100% O2)
- Circulation (control hemorrhage)
- Disability (Glasgow Coma Scale)
- Exposure/Environmental control
Glascow Coma Scale in Verbal Patient
- Eye opening
- Best motor response
- Best verbal response
-
Eye opening
- Spontaneously (4)
- Response to voice (3)
- Response to pain (2)
- No response (1)
-
Best motor response
- Obeys commands (6)
- Localizes pain (5)
- Flexion withdrawal (4)
- Decorticate posturing (3)
- Decerebrate posturing (2)
- No response (1)
-
Best verbal response
- Oriented/appropriate (5)
- Disoriented conversation (4)
- Inappropriate words (3)
- Incomprehensable words (2)
- No response (1)
Glascow Coma Scale in Nonverbal Patient (Child)
- Eye opening
- Best motor response
- Best verbal response
-
Eye opening
- Spontaneously (4)
- Response to voice (3)
- Response to pain (2)
- No response (1)
-
Best motor response
- Normal movements (6)
- Localizes pain (5)
- Flexion withdrawal (4)
- Flexion abnormal (3)
- Extension abnormal (2)
- No response (1)
-
Best verbal response
- Cries normally, smiles, coos (5)
- Cries (4)
- Inappropriate crying & screaming (3)
- Grunts (2)
- No response (1)
What are 3 adjuncts to the primary survey?
-
ECG monitoring
- Dysrhythmias (cardiac injury)
- Pulseless electrical activity (cardiac tamponade, tension pneumo, hypovolemia)
-
Urinary catheter & NG tube
- Monitor UOP, reduce abd distension
-
Diagnostic studies
- Radiographs: cervical spine, chest, pelvis
- CT scans: head, abdomen
What is the secondary survey?
Head-to-toe physical exam
Complete history
Head Trauma injuries & risk
- Seizures common but self-limited
- Infants at risk for bleeding in subgaleal & epidural spaces
- Open fontanelles & cranial sutures
- But more tolerant of expansion
What are the 3 different types if intracranial bleeds in children?
- Epidural hematoma
- Subdural hematoma
- Intracerebral hematoma
Epidural hematoma
- definition
- clinical features
- diagnosis
- management
- prognosis
- Bleeding btwn the inner table of the skull/dura
- Tearing of the middle meningeal artery
- Signs & symptoms of intracranial pressure
- Head CT: lenticular density
- Immediate surgical drainage
- Good prognosis w/ surgery
Subdural hematoma
- definition
- clinical features
- diagnosis
- management
- prognosis
- Blood beneath the dura
-
Tearing of bridging meningeal veins
- Direct trauma or shaking
- More common than epidural
- Seizures, signs & symptoms of increased ICP
- Bilateral (75%), slow development
- Head CT: crescentic density
- Neurosurgical consult, surgical drainage
- Poor prognosis if underlying brain injured
Intracerebral hematoma
- definition
- management
- Bleeding w/i the brain parenchyma
- Frontal & temporal lobes
- Opposite side of impact injury
- Contrecoup injury
- Surgical drainage
First sign & symptom of increased ICP
-
First symptoms
- Headache
-
First signs
- Pupillary changes
- Altered mental status
What are the symptoms of increased ICP?
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Stiff neck
- Double vision
- Transient loss of vision
- Episodic severe headache
- Gait disturbance
- Dulled intelect
- Irritability
What are the signs of increased ICP?
- Papilledema
- Cranial nerve palsies
- Stiff neck
- Head tilt
- Retinal hemorrhage
- Macewen’s sign
- Hyperresonance of the skull on percussion
- Obtundation
- Unconsciousness
- Progressive hemiparesis
Increased ICP may lead to ________.
- Cerebral herniation
- Transtentorial or uncal
What are the 5 clinical features of herniation?
-
Bradycardia
- Early sign in children <4 YO
- Fixed & dilated ipsilateral pupil
- Contralateral hemiparesis
-
Pupils eventually bilaterally fixed & dilated
- Bilateral hemiparesis
-
Cushing’s triad (late sign)
- Bradycardia + HTN + irregular breathing
How is increased ICP managed?
-
Mild hyperventilation
- 100% to lower PaCO2 to 30-35 mmHg
- Vasoconstricts cerebral vessels
-
Elevation of head to 30-45o
- Venous drainage
-
Diuretics
- Mannitol
- Neurosurgical consultation
Spinal cord injury in children
-
SCIWORA
- Spinal cord injury w/o radiographic abnormality
- More common in children than adults
Chest trauma
- Children vs. adults
- Complications
- Child’s soft & pliable chest wall allows transmission of forces into lung parenchyma
-
Tension pneumothorax
- Life-threatening
- Distended neck veins, decreased breath sounds, hyperresonance to percussion, displaced trachea, pulseless electrical activity, shock
- Emergent chest decompression by needle thoracotomy
- Waiting for radiograph leads to death
Common sources of abdominal trauma in children
-
Duodenal hematoma
- RUQ injury (bicycle handle bar)
- Abd pain & vomiting
- Bowel obstruction
-
Lap belt injuries
- MVA, liver/spleen lacerations, bowel perf
- Chance fracture: flexion disruption of the lumbar spine
-
Spleen, liver, kidney injury
- Blunt trauma
_____ are the second most common cause of accidental death in children.
Burns
- Scalding injuries from hot liquids most common
- Always consider child abuse
What is a first degree burn?
- Epidermis
- Red, blanching, painful skin
- Heals w/o scarring
- Example: sunburn
What is a second degree burn?
- Entire epidermis & part of the dermis
-
Superficial partial thickness burns
- Entire epidermis & outer dermis
- Moist, painful, red
- Blister but don’t scar
-
Deep partial thickness burns
- Entire epidermis & lower dermis
- Pale white
- Blister & heal w/ scarring
What is a third degree burn?
- Full thickness burn
- Epidermis, dermis, subq tissue
- Dry, white, leathery
- Skin grafts needed
- Nerve endings burned (insensitivity to pain)
How do you calculate body surface area burned?
- Lund-Browder classification
- Adolescents & adults
- each arm 9%
- each leg 18%
- anterior trunk 18%
- posterior trunk 18%
- head & neck 9%
- Children: palm 1%
What is the initial resuscitation after a burn injury?
-
Endotracheal intubation
- Inhalation of hot gas
- Burn upper airway, edema, obstruction
-
Assess oxygenation
- pulse ox, administer 100% O2
- assess for CO inhalation
-
IV access
- nonburned skin
_____ resuscitation after a burn injury is critical because _____.
Fluid
- Large volumes of fluid may be lost from burned skin & leaky capillaries
What is the treatment for….
- first degree burns
- second degree burns
- third degree burns
-
first degree burns
- moisturizers, analgesics
-
second degree burns
- analgesics (opiates)
- debridement of skin to prevent infection
- bullae (large blisters) left alone unless already ruptured
- abx (topical 1% silver sulfadiazine)
-
third degree burns
- skin grafting, hydrotherapy
- escharotomy if restricts blood flow or chest expansion
- abx (topical 1% silver sulfadiazine)
With a burn injury, when is hospitalization required?
- Partial thickness burns >10% BSA
- Full thickness burns >2% BSA
- Burns specific to areas of the body
- Face, perineum, hands, feet, burns overlying a joint, circumferential burns
- Suspected inhalation injury
- Suspected nonaccidental trauama (inflicted burn)
What is the definition of a near-drowning?
Victim who survives, sometimes only temporarily, after asphyxia while submerged in a liquid
Submersion-related injuries are the ___ leading cause of death in the US.
The age distribution in childhood is _____.
- 5th leading cause, bimodal age distribution
-
Older infants & toddlers
- Wander into unfenced pools or tip into water containers
-
Adolescents
- M > F, submersion injury
- Alcohol/drug ingestion
What is the pathophysiology of a near-drowning?
-
Asphyxia
- aspirating liquid (wet drowner)
- laryngospasm (dry drowner)
- Fresh & salt water drowning
- Denaturing of surfactant
- Alveolar instability & collapse
- Pulmonary edema
-
End result
- Decreased pulmonary compliance
- Increased airway resistance
- Increased pulmonary artery pressures
- Impaired gas exchange
What are the clinical features of a near-drowning?
-
Respirations absent/irregular
- Coughing up pink/frothy material
- Rales, rhonchi, wheezes
- Pneumonia from fluid aspiration (>24 hrs)
- Hypoxemia & hypercarbia (first 12-24 hrs)
-
Neurologic insult (hypoxic CNS injury)
- Length & severity of hypoxia
- Alert vs. agitated, combative, comatose
- CV (dysrhythmias, myocardial ischemia)
- Heme (hemolysis, DIC)
- Renal failure
What is the management of a near-drowning?
- Treatment same whether fresh or salt water
-
Initial resuscitation
- ABCs, cervical spine immobilization, removal of wet clothing
-
Intubation & mechanical ventilation
- High PEEP for respiratory failure
-
Rewarming of body temperature
- Warm saline gastric lavage, bladder washings, peritoneal lavage
- Severe hypothermia: until 32oC (89.6oF)
- Attention to fluids/electrolytes
Prognosis after a near-drowning is poor for….
- Children <3 YO
- Submersion time >5 min
- Resuscitation delay >10 min
- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation required
- Abnormal neuro exam or seizures
- Arterial blood pH <7