Initial Management Flashcards
Commonly used terms to describe major trauma 5
Death after trauma
Admission to ICU for 24hrs w/ mech vent
Serious injury to >2 body systems
Injury severity score >12
Urgent surgery for Inter cranial, intra thoracic or intra abdominal injury. Fixation of pelvic or spinal fractures
Stages of care 4
Pre hospital
ED
Inpatient
Rehabilitation
Goals of ED care of major trauma 3
Seek and treat life threats
Expedite delivery of the patient to the appropriate inpatient service
Minimise morbidity from preventable errors and complications
RAPTOR
Resuscitation with angiography, percutaneous techniques and operative repair
Disposition major trauma patient 4+2
Radiology
Theatre
ICU
Ward
Inter hospital transfer
Hybrid Suite RAPTOR
Roles of ED in major trauma
Receive pre notification activate trauma system
Receive patient
Commence the initial assessment and resuscitation
Coordinate initial management and investigation
Refer to the appropriate inpatient services or external trauma centre
Arrange disposition of the patient: admission or transfer
IMIST
Identification
Mechanism
Injuries
Signs vitals
Treatment
Exposure and control of life threatening haemorrhage
All dressings must be removed
Tourniquets should be assessed and optimised
Not over clothing
Endotracheal tube check 6
Confirm end tidal CO2
Confirm current insertion distance at lips/teeth matches that documented by pre-hospital team
Check cuff pressure
Auscultate for breath sounds
Perform chest XR by assessment doctor
NG tube placement
Anterior neck examination - life threatening conditions not to miss
TWELVEC
Tracheal deviation - tension PTX
Wounds and swelling - vascular injury or haematoma which can cause compression/obstruction of airway
Emphysema - subcutaneous emphysema can be caused by an injury to the airway or tracking from PTX/Pmediastinum
Laryngeal crepitus - laryngeal fracture*
Veins - distended neck veins may indicate cardiac tamponade or tension PTX
Oesophagus - ability to swallow
Carotids - assess for bruising, swelling and bruits over the carotids
Mechanisms and signs of laryngeal fracture 3+4
Cautions
Hanging
Clothesline injuries
Direct blow to neck
Ligature marks
Anterior neck bruising and swelling
Throat pain swelling
Voice change
Do not palpate
Disrupting laryngeal anatomy and obstructing airway
Breathing and chest trauma
Aims 3
To optimise oxygenation and effective ventilation
To rapidly identify and tear TensPTX with pleural decompression and intercostal catheter
Seek and treat other life threats in the chest
Immediate life threats in the chest
ATOM-FC
Aortic transection - shearing, different from dissection
Tension PTX/Tracheo-bronchial injury - non re-inflating lungs despite decompression: large hole or defect in airway or lung
Open PTX -air drawn through wound on insp and expelled on exp
Massive haemothorax
Flail segment - paradoxical inspiration. Not all are visible
Cardiac tamponade - eFAST. Becks triad not sensitive or specific but academic!
Absence of Tension PTX on initial assessment - when is there a risk of it developing
Absence initially does not exclude.
Can occur over minutes to hours
Risk - after intubation, +ve pressure as air is forced through a defect
Universal, Common, Inconsistent and rare findings in tension PTX
Universal - chest pain, respiratory distress
Common findings (50-75%) - tachycardia, ipsilateral decreased AE
Inconsistent (<25%) - low SpO2, hypotension, tracheal deviation
Rare findings (~10%) - cyanosis, hyper resonance, decreased LOC, ipsilater hyper expansion/hypo mobility
Classically taught signs of tension PTX
Tracheal deviation
Increased JVP or distended neck veins
Impossible to ascertain in acute trauma setting and limited/no practical use
Signs of tension PTX in ventilated patients
Most to least common
Universal - rapid onset, immediate and progressive hypoxia, immediate reduction in cardiac output/BP
Common findings - tachycardia, high ventilation pressure, ipsilateral chest hyper expansion, hypo mobility decreased air entry
Inconsistent findings - surgical emphysema, venous distension
Recommendations for immediate chest decompression with awake pts with suspected Tension PTX in abcence of XR
(5)
SpO2 <92% on O2
Systolic BP <90mmHg
Respiratory rate <10 (agonal)
Decreased level of consciousness despite oxygen therapy
Cardiac arrest -> bilateral finger or tube thoracostomy
Obstructive shock mantra
Seek and treat obstructive shock, only give blood if bleeding
Open PTX management
Small+Large
Sml - Occlusive dressing
Lrge- sutured close then occlusive dressing.
Followed by intercostal catheter inserted.
NB alternatively monitor and place intercostal catheter only if needed.
Open PTX
3 sided dressings -PEARL
Theoretical risk of Tension pneumothorax with 4 sided dressing prevented with 3 sided but no evidence to support this and in reality difficult to make and apply
Aims in circulation and haemorrhage control
(5)
Assess end organ perfusion/signs of shock
To seek and treat obstructive shock Tens PTX,tamponade
Seek and treat haemorrhagic shock
Identify and control source of bleeding
Obtain adequate vascular access and commence appropriate fluid/blood product resuscitation
Goal of circulation in short (3)
Find the bleeding
Stop the bleeding
Correct the deficiencies
Two distinct categories of bleeding
External compressible bleeding
Internal non compressible