Exam #3 Important Terms Flashcards
Definition:
Air bubbles in the arterial blood vessels
Arterial air embolism
Ch 24
Definition:
An impact on the body by objects that cause injury without penetrating soft tissues or internal organs or cavities
Blunt trauma
Ch 24
Definition:
A phenomenon in which speed causes a bullet to generate pressure waves, which cause damage distant from the bullet’s path
Cavitation
Ch 24
Definition:
A brain injury that occurs when force is applied to the head and energy transmission through brain tissue causes injury on the opposite side.
Coup-contrecoup brain injury
Ch 24
Definition:
Resistance that slows a projectile, such as air
Drag
Ch 24
Definition:
An evaluation tool used to determine level of consciousness, which evaluates and assigns point values (scores) for eye opening, verbal response, and motor response, which are then totaled; effective in helping predict patient outcomes.
Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score
Ch 24
Definition:
Emergencies that require EMS attention because of illness or condition not caused by an outside force.
Medical emergencies
Ch 24
Definition:
Injury caused by objects, such as knives and bullets, that pierce the surface of the body and damage internal tissues and organs.
Penetrating trauma
Ch 24
Definition:
Pulmonary trauma resulting from short-range exposure to detonation of explosives.
Pulmonary blast injuries
Ch 24
Definition:
A scoring system used for patients with head trauma.
Revised Trauma Score (RTS)
Ch 24
Definition:
Emergencies that are the result of physical forces applied to a patient’s body
Trauma emergencies
Ch 24
Definition:
A score calculated from 1 to 16, with 16 being the best possible score. It relates to the likelihood of patient survival with the exception of severe head injury. Takes into account GCS, respiratory rate and expansion, systolic BP and capillary refill.
Trauma score
Ch 24
Definition:
A nosebleed
Epistaxis
Ch 25
Definition:
Vomited blood
Hematemesis
Ch 25
Definition:
Blood in the urine
Hematuria
Ch 25
Definition:
The coughing up of blood
Hemoptysis
Ch 25
Definition:
A life-threatening fracture of the pelvis caused by a force that displaces one or both sides of the pelvis laterally and posteriorly
Open-book pelvic fracture
Ch 25
Definition:
Loss or damage of the superficial layer of the skin as a result of a body part rubbing or scraping across a rough or hard surface.
Abrasion
Ch 26
Definition:
An injury in which soft tissue is torn completely loose or is hanging as a flap.
Avulsion
Ch 26
Definition:
Injuries in which damage occurs beneath the skin or mucous membrane but the surface of the skin remains intact.
Closed injuries
Ch 26
Definition:
The displacement of organs outside the body
Evisceration
Ch 26
Definition:
Burns that affect all skin layers and may affect the subcutaneous layers, muscle, bone and internal organs, leaving the area dry, leathery, and white, dark brown or charred.
Full-thickness (third-degree) burns
Ch 26
Definition:
A deep, jagged cut in the skin
Laceration
Ch 26
Definition:
Injuries in which there is a break in the surface of the skin or the mucous membrane, exposing deeper tissue to potential contamination
Open injuries
Ch 26
Definition:
Burns that affect the epidermis and some portion of the dermis but not the subcutaneous tissue, characterized by blisters and skin that is white to red, moist and mottled.
Partial-thickness (second-degree) burns
Ch 26
Definition:
Burns that affect only the epidermis, characterized by skin that is red but not blistered or actually burned through.
Superficial (first-degree) burns
Ch 26
Definition:
Naturally occurring uneven pupil size
Anisocoria
Ch 27
Definition:
A characteristic crackling sensation felt on palpation of the skin, caused by the presence of air in the soft tissues
Subcutaneous emphysema
Ch 27
Definition:
Inability to remember events after an injury.
Anterograde (posttraumatic) amnesia
Ch 28
Definition:
An accumulation of blood between the skull and the dura mater
Epidural hematoma
Ch 28
Definition:
An injury to the brain and its associated structures that is a direct result of impact to the head.
Primary (direct) injury
Ch 28
Definition:
The inability to remember events leading up to a head injury
Retrograde amnesia
Ch 28
Definition:
An accumulation of blood beneath the dura mater but outside the brain
Subdural hematoma
Ch 28
Definition:
Compression of the heart as the result of buildup of blood or other fluid in the pericardial sac, leading to decreased cardiac output
Cardiac tamponade
Ch 29
Definition:
A blunt chest injury caused by a sudden, direct blow to the chest that occurs only during the critical portion of a person’s heartbeat.
Commotio cordis
Ch 29
Definition:
The accumulation of blood and air in the pleural space of the chest
Hemopneumothorax
Ch 29
Definition:
An open or penetrating chest wall wound through which air passes during inspiration and expiration, creating a sucking sound; referred to as sucking chest wound
Open pneumothorax
Ch 29
Definition:
A pneumothorax that occurs when a weak area on the lung ruptures in the absence of major injury, allowing air to leak into the pleural space.
Simple pneumothorax
Ch 29
Definition:
An accumulation of air or gas in the pleural cavity that progressively increases pressure in the chest that interferes with cardiac function with potentially fatal results.
Tension pneumothorax
Ch 29
Definition:
Movement that occurs in a bone at the point where there is no joint, indication a fracture
False motion
Ch 31
Definition:
A hand position in which the wrist is slightly dorsiflexed and all finger joints are moderately flexed
Position of function
Ch 31
Definition:
A joint injury involving damage to supporting ligaments and sometimes partial or temporary dislocation of the bone ends
Sprain
Ch 31
Definition:
Stretching or tearing of a muscle
Strain
Ch 31
Definition:
The area of potentially damaged soft tissue, adjacent nerves, and blood vessels surrounding an injury to a bone or a joint
Zone of injury
Ch 31
