Module 20: Trauma Flashcards
What are the four injury pattern factors of trauma?
Mass of object
Acceleration
Force Applied
Duration of time Applied
What is the easiest type of skull fracture to feel? What is the most difficult?
depressed is the easiest. Linear is the hardest
What is a comminuted skull fracture?
Spider-web like fracture
What is a basilar skull fracture?
Fracture at the base of skull that may result in leaking of CSF
What are the telltale signs of a basilar skull fracture?
raccoon eyes and battle’s sign (bruising on back of ear)
What is the area where battle’s sign occurs called?
mastoid process
What are the three injuries that typically occur to eyes?
laceration, chemical, and puncture
Why do we not put pressure on eyes?
They contain a lot of fluid that should not be pushed out of the eyes due to risk of blindness
What is the general process for chemical eye injuries?
flush for twenty minutes, starting at the bridge of the nose
What should be done for puncture wounds in the eye?
Cover both eyes and stabilize the object
How can you assess if an ear injury is internal or external?
Ask pt about MOI.
What is unique about observation of CSF on a gauze pad?
CSF moves toward outside of gauze pad, while blood moves toward center. Think of the target logo.
What is the medical term for a nose bleed? How is it treated?
Epistaxis, pinch where cartilage and bone meet on nose and squeeze nostrils together while pt leans forward.
How long can it take blood to clot?
six to seven minutes
Why shouldn’t pts with epistaxis lean back?
blood may pool in stomach and cause emesis
What is the best process for dental avulsions? What sort of pts should not receive this treatment
Rinse tooth with saline then grab it with crown (not the root). Assess the socket and remove and clots with gauze. Then put tooth back in socket and have pt bite down on gauze
any pt who is not A/Ox3, is immunosuppressed or has cardiac issues that require antibiotics
If reimplantation is not ideal, what should be done with an avulsed tooth?
lowfat milk, pt’s saliva, or saline
What is an underlooked but important aspect of jugular veinous injuries? What sort of dressing should be used for these injuries?
air bubbles, which can create an air embolus. Occlusive (non porous) dressings should be used.
What is subcutaneous emphysema? How should it be treated?
trapped air between tissues due to tracheal laceration/larynx fracture
high flow O2
What is often used to stabilize knives and other puncture objects?
gauze taped to either side of the object
What is flail chest? What does their chest rise look like? What is the treatment for flail chest?
three or more ribs broken in two or more places. Unequal chest rise AKA paradoxical motion. Treated with ventilation
How should a puncture would be treated for puncture wounds in chest?
occlusive dressing taped on all four sides.
What is aortic shearing?
Occurs during a collision. the organs shift during impact, and the aorta may shear from the ligaments that keep it in place.
What is the space between the parietal pleura and the visceral pleura called?
pleural space