Facial Trauma Flashcards
Causes of facial trauma?
Road traffic collisions Industrial accidents Violence Slips, trips, falls Sports injuries More common in males
How to approach trauma?
A - airway maintenance, cervical spine protection, unconscious
B - breathing and ventilation, chest injuries - ribcage, bruising
C - Circulation and haemorrhage control - if pt losing lots of blood = hypovolaemic shock, abdominal injury
- Pressure stops bleeding
- Confusion is due to hypoxia - not haemorrhage until proven otherwise
D - Disability - normal reflexes, normal sphincter tone or abnormal? (glasgow coma scale)
E - Exposure - log roll and spine exam - tenderness, bruising
ATLS algorithm
What to look for with soft tissues?
Abrasions
Lacerations = blunt force trauma and skin has burst open/
Incision = made with a sharp edge
Tissue loss
Think about: eyes, eyelids, lips, nerves - facial nerves, arteries - superficial temporal artery, facial artery, buccal artery
