Mod 5 Chest and Abdominal Trauma Flashcards
Flail chest
-Fracture of two or more adjacent ribs in two or more places that allows for free movement of fractured segment
Paradoxical motion
-Movement of ribs in a flail segment that is opposite to the direction of movement of the rest of the chest cavity
Patient care for flail chest
- Perform primary assessment
- Administer O2
- If breathing inadequately assist with ventilation’s
- Some systems allow use of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation.
- Monitor the patient carefully
- Watch respiratory rate and depth
Open chest wound
-Not only is skin broken but chest wall is penetrated for example by a bullet or knife blade
Sucking chest wound
-An open chest wound in which air is sucked into chest cavity.
Signs of sucking chest wound
- Patient has wound in chest
- May or may not be sucking sound associated with open chest wound
- May be gasping for air
Patient care for open chest wound
- Maintain open airway
- Seal the open chest wound as quickly as possible
- Apply occlusive dressing at least 2 inches wider than wound.
- Administer O2
- Care for shock
- Transport as soon as possible
- Consider advanced life support if it will not delay the patients arrival at hospital.
Flutter valve and occlusive dressing
- Sealing plastic on all sides except for one corner
- On inspiration dressing seals wound preventing air entry
- On expiration allows air to escape through untapped section of dressing
Asherman chest seal
-Includes one way valve in the design
Pneumothorax
-Occurs when air enters the chest cavity possibly causing collapse of a lung
Tension pneumothorax
-A type of pneumothorax in which air that enters chest cavity is prevented from escaping
Hemothorax
- When the chest cavity fills with blood
- Can be caused when lacerations within chest cavity are produced by penetrating objects or fractured ribs
Hemopneumothorax
-Chest cavity fills with both blood and air
Traumatic asphyxia
- Associated with sudden compression of the chest.
- Sternum and ribs exert severe pressure on heart and lungs forcing blood out of the right atrium and up into the jugular veins in the neck.
Cardiac Tamponade
-When an injury to the heart causes blood to flow into the the surrounding pericardial sac.