Lecture 10: blunt force trauma Flashcards
An injury caused by a physical force
trauma
Injury produced by a blunt object striking the body or impact of the body against a blunt object or surface resulting in the distributed dissipation of kinetic energy.
blunt force trauma
common causes of blunt force trauma
a. HBC
b. High-rise falls
c. Injuries of activity
d. Physical abuse (NAI)
- What causes more severe trauma – blows by a weapon with a small surface area (hammer) or large surface area (board)
weapon with smaller SA
What causes more severe trauma – blows to a rounded surface or a large flat surface
Rounded surface (head), less area for force dissipation, will cause MORE severe injury
What causes more severe trauma – a quick blow to the body or pressure applied to the body over a long period of time?
quick blow
4 categories of injuries caused by blunt force trauma
a. Abrasions
b. Contusions
c. Lacerations
d. Fractures
superficial (epithelial) layer of the skin is scraped away, destroyed, or detached due to contact of the skin with a rough surface, by a sliding motion and/or occasionally by compression/pressure.
abrasion
Can abrasions occur at the site of blunt force impact and at locations distant from the impact site
no, ONLY at site of blunt force impact!
area of hemorrhage into the skin or soft tissues due to rupture of blood vessels caused by blunt force injury or pressure
contusion
Can contusions occur at the site of the blunt force impact and at locations distant from the impact site
yes
tear in the tissue produced by blunt force injury, such that tissue is stretched, crushed, sheared, or avulsed (skin and organs)
laceration
lacerations most commonly occur over
bony prominences
differentiate a laceration wound from an incised wound
Lacerations: (vs. incision)
i. Bridging!!! of tissue (vs. NO bridging)
ii. Irregular margins (vs. well-defined)
iii. Abrasions/bruising present (vs. none/minimal)
iv. Debris common (vs. absent)
v. Slight hemorrhage (vs. brisk)
tissue bridging occurs with
lacerations
