Musculoskeletal Lecture Flashcards
If someone has a new fracture what will be their chief complaint
Pain
So if they are in pain what are you going to do?
Give them IV pain medication. (PCA)opioids preferably.. Morphine is better. Demerol ok. if they do not get relief within 20-30 min give them some moreApply ice to decrease pain and swelling.Elevate to decrease throbbing
You must avoid demerol in the elderly because of why?
risk for seizures. Elderly is anything over 60-65
If a patient has a pelvic fracture what are they at risk for?
Internal organ damage. So there is also a risk for bleeding and hypovolemic shock. That can all be happening and all of that bleeding is hidden. We don’t see it until they have bled out into their abdomen.
What are the 3 things that can cause fractures?
- Pathalogic/Spontaneous 2. Fatigue/Stress fractures3. Compression fractures
Pathalogic/Spontaneous
where the bone just breaks such as in osteoporosis.
Fatigue/Stress fractures
rom excessive strain or stress on a bone. This is seen in athletes.
Compression fractures
are from application of loading force on the long axis. See most in long bones or spine.
Stage 1-
occurs within the first day to 3 days after the injury. The hematoma will form.
Stage 2-
occurs within 3-days to 2 weeks. This this cast time. Granulation tissue is starting to move in.
Stage 3 -
From 2-6 weeks we get new vascular tissue. And the non bony union begins to come together.
Stage 4-
3-6 months.
Stage 5-
remodels and can take up to a year. Finally you get the complete bone healing but the bone will always be weaker.
What are the 2 things that can interfere with bone healing?
bone cancerPagets disease
If there is traction, your goal and task and what should cause you great alarm is
the weights that are attached to the traction. If they are on the floor, the patient is not in traction. You must get the weights up off of the floor and realign the patient I the bed. It takes 3 people to realign someone that is in traction.
For it to be considered pure skeletal traction. There has to be pins into the bone. If this occurs..what is the risk?
Infection. There will always be some ooozing from these sites so pin care is paramount. Clean it with 1/2 strength peroxide and saline. Clean the pin sites every 4 hours. They should never be crusty. If they are red and warm there is inflammation and possible infection. It is certainly an infection if there is pus or purulent drainage coming from the site. If this occurs, you need to culture it.
Acute compartment syndrome is usually seen where?
in the lower legs and the forearms.
The primary symptom that you are going to see with acute compartment syndrome is
numbness and tingling. Additional findings are cool, pale, extremities.This is caused by edema getting trapped within muscular compartments. And it is pressing on nerves and blood vessels.
If not corrected acute compartment syndrome can lead to which 4 things?
- an infection. 2. Decreased motor function, 3. contractures forming4. the release of myoglobin.
What is myoglobin?
It is a protein that is a result of muscular breakdown.
What happens if a patient has too much myoglobin?
If we have to much myoglobin the patient can develop what we call myoglobinuric renal failure or myoglobinurea. This is potentially fatal and can lead to acute renal failure.
What is another potential cause for myoglobinurea.
rhabdomylosis
myoglobinuric renal failure or myoglobinurea signs and symptoms-
ologuric- less than 400 ml in 24 hours. So what you are going to do is monitor the urine output specifically for discoloration. It will look like tea.
Crush Syndrome-
example. Car wreck and passenger is ejected and car rolls on top of them. Patient can be conscious and talking but when the weight is removed the patient loses consciousness. That is part of the crush syndrome. Hemorrhage and edema is definitely going to be there. The real problem is not when the body gets crushed it is when we let the pressure off. That is when patient can bleed out and when the nerves wake up and you get severe numbness tingling and pain.
Crush Syndrome management-
early recognition, adequate IV fluids. Diuretics, Low dose dopamine to enhance renal perfusion. Monitor for:acute compartment syndrome… Low fluids… high potassium because of cellular rupture and kidney issues. Rhabdomylysis, tubular necrosis and acute renal failure with dark brown urine. Hypovolemic shock from damage to blood vessels and arteries. This is really seen with pelvic fractures due to damage to internal organs.
What is the priority action for a patient with crush syndrome?
**Your priority action is to measure the blood pressure frequently. Insert a foley catheter especially if pelvic fracture.turn the patient every 2 hours.
Treatment plan for Crush syndrome
Same as hypovolemic shock. stage 2- give iv fluids LRStage 3- Give LR and Blood stage IV,, use volume expanders and vasoactive drips Specifically I want you to know dopamine. And what is dopamine really supposed to do? Increases cardiac output. ***oxygen, ringers lactate which is a crystalloid , and dopamine…
Fat Embolism-
this is where fat globules are released from the yellow bone marrow. This can happen at stage 2 bone healing…it clogs the small blood vessels..They come from long bones and pelvic fractures….It doesn’t necessarily have to be a fracture…you can also see this type of issue if a patient has had any type of total joint replacement.
If there is a long bone fracture and the patient goes into respiratory distress. What is the first thing that you should be thinking?
Fat Embolism.Give the patient oxygen and then call the doctor.
Fat Embolism Presentation-
O2 related issues. Decreased level of consciousness, anxiety, respiratory distress, tachynpea, hemoptosis. What are you going to do? Oxygen….give them some oxygen then call the doctor.
VTE- Veno-thrombo Embolism-
is another issue related to pelvic fractures. Other risk factors are obese. smokers. oral contraceptives advanced age, hemostasis, heart disease. All of this can tie into VTE’s and infection.
Osteomylitis-
Bone infection. Typically seen within open fractures not closed ones or anytime there is hardware used.
What key factor allows the nurse to differentiate between pulmonary edema caused by a fat embolus versus a blood clot?
Petechiae, only a fat emboli will cause this.
Cast care-
cover the rough edges with tape. Keep open access to the wounds by keeping windows in place to see what is going on. 1-2 fingers between the cast and the skin. It can be bi-valved..meaning I have put it on, let it dry and cut it in 1/2 and velcrow them together, use a fracture bedpan.
Arm cast-
elevate it while in bed. Use a sling while out of bed. Monitor for frozen shoulder. Teach to exercise the shoulder. Even if full arm cast. Young people will be better at this.