Injuries to chest, abdomen, pelvis Flashcards
mc mechanisms for injury to the chest
blunt trauma
crushing injury
penetrating injury
s/s of chest injury
- Difficult breathing
- pain
- bruising
- deformity
- cyanosis
- coughing up blood
- obvious signs of injury
s/s of pneumothorax
- sudden sharp chest pain, made worse by a deep breath or a cough
- sob
- chest tightness
- easy fatigue
- rappid HR
- bluish color of the skin caused by lack of O2
- Nasal flaring
- anxiety, stress, tension
What should u do for further eval of pneumothorax and what are the finding s
stethoscope exam of the chest reveals decreased or absent breath sounds on affected side
Hemothorax and mc cause
collection of blood in the space bw the chest wall and the lung
-mc cause is chest trauma, doesn’t occur spontaneously
overall first aid for blunt trauma (closed chest injury)-
Check- the scene
Call- 911/EMS (if sig injury/difficult breathing)
Care- Ensure ABCs, Secondary survey
first aid overall of puncture wound
Ensure ABCs
- immediatly seal the open wound w glove hand (to limit any external air exchange to reduce risk of collapse)
- apply a occlusive dressing to seal wound (3 of 4 sides taped down)
- continually assess the Pts status
how should pt be pos in a puncture wound
pos the pt so the blood is able to drain and escape
What is flail chest + what is it associated w
- injury to the ribs where a section of the chest wall has been detached due to multiple fractures
- gnerally an associated collapsed lung
- life threatening condition
s/s of flail chest
- pale, cool clammy skin
- rappid weak pulse
- shallow/difficult to breath
- paradoxical chest mints
- cyanosis/shock
first aid continual care for flail chest
stabilize them-> place on flail side down or in a seated pos, using that arm to provide support to the injured side
- decrease pain + tx for shock
- PRICE
- hospitalization
- 6-8w rib healing
general symptoms of appendicitis
- hard to dx in children, elderly and childbearing w
- pain may be vague, but becomes increasingly sharp and severe
- reduced appetite, nausea, vommiting, low grade fever
- pain in L R quad
physical exam + findings for appendicitus
- ask pt to cough (localize where pain is)
- mc burnies point local tenderness
- feel for mm rigitity
- rebound tenderness
- rosvings sign (pain of L palp)
what is the mechanism you willl see for spleen injuries
mc from blunt trauma
-also penetrating trauma to LUQ
s/s of spleen injuries
LUQ abdominal pain radiation to left shoulder shock hypotension association w lower rib fx 40% w sig hemoperitoneum
what is the mc associated organ damage w pelvic fx
MC bladder
pt to ER with pelvic fx= what is the mortality rate
3%
Pt to ER with pelvic fx and hypotension= mortality rate
38% mortality rate
urethral injury is mc associated w what
usually associated w pelvic fx with external force (95% will have urethral involvement)
s/s of urethral injuries
Inability to urinate
- abdominal or pelvic pain
- Small/weak urine stream
- blood at meatus
what % of all injuries to pelvis lead to bladder injury
50% of all crush injuries
s/s of bladder injury
- blood at urethral opening
- painful urination
- distended abdomen
- neusea and vomitting
- increase in temp/chills
first aid of contusions to the testes
have pt lie down and bring knees up to chest and tell to relax (resolution in a few mins)
-give proper home instructions- educate them on signs to look for- swelling , discolouration, blood coming from meatus, bloody urine
what is torsion of spermatic cord and mechanism
- can occur after direct or indirect impact to scrotum
- dull pain, heavy feeling
- testicle spins on itself around spermatic cord and epididymis
- can occur from vig sex
physical exam of torsion of spermatic cord
scrotum will look very swollen, tight, red
- looks like epididymis and inf
- mc in late teens/early 20s
