Musculoskeletal Pathophysiology Flashcards
What is a wound?
An injury to living tissue caused by a cut, blow, or other impact, typically one in which the skin is cut or broken
What is a fracture?
The cracking or breaking in the continuity of the bone
What is a sprain?
A wrench or twist of the ligaments of the ankle, wrist or other joint, violently so as to cause pain and swelling but not dislocation
What is a strain?
A strain is a force tending to pull or stretch something to an extreme or damaging degree
What is trauma?
It is a deeply distressing or disturbing experience.
What are some examples of trauma?
Road Traffic Collision (RTC)
Factory accidents
Building site accidents
Animal related accidents
How are injuries caused?
Transfer of energy
What percentage of people are likely to later display severe injuries after a trauma incident?
5-15%
What is key with energy?
Energy is neither created nor destroyed, it only changes in form
What determines the amount of energy exchange that takes place during trauma incident?
The number of body tissue particles that are impacted by the solid object
How is the number of tissues particles affected determined by?
The density of the tissue
Air (lung)
Water (muscle and organs)
Solid (bones)
What are the five types of fractures?
Greenstick Spiral Comminuted Transverse Compound
What is a greenstick fracture?
Not completely broken bone
What is a spiral fracture?
A break that is twisted
What is a comminuted fracture?
Crushed bone
What is a transverse fracture?
A straight break in the bone
What is a compound fracture?
A protruding break in the bone piercing through the skin
What is a dislocation?
An abnormal separation of the joint surfaces
What is a partial dislocation also known as?
Subluxation
What can a dislocation also be accompanied by?
Fracture
What is soft tissue injuries?
Damage to muscle, ligament and tendons as a result of an injury that does not result in either a fracture or dislocation
What does DCAP-BTLS-IC stand for?
Deformity
Contusions (bruising)
Abrasions (graze)
Penetrations
Burns
Tenderness
Lacerations (deep tear or cut in skin or flesh)
Swelling
Instability
Crepitus (grating sound caused by friction between bone and cartilage or fractured part of bone)
What are the eight types of femur fractures?
Closed
Open
Transverse (still intact but broken laterally)
Spiral
Comminuted (crushed)
Impacted (bone break due to upward force)
Greenstick (slight break)
Oblique (break apart but not piercing - still in line)
Neck of femur fractures are common in…
Elderly
What does an unstable fracture of the pelvis increase the risk of?
High risk of blood loss
What is the main cause of spinal cord injuries?
Falls
What is the most common mechanisms of spinal injuries?
Axial stress
Axial loading
Compression between T12 and L2
Distraction
Combination of distraction/rotation or compression/flexion
What is a hyperflexion injury?
Movement of the flexor muscle beyond its normal limit
What is a compression injury?
It is a type of crushing injury
What is a hyperextension injury?
The movement or extension of joints, tendons or muscles beyond the normal limit or range of motion
What may cause a spinal column injury? (4)
Movement of vertebrae from normal position
Subluxation or dislocation
Fractures
Ruptured intervertebral discs
What are the three main fractures that can occur in the spinal column? And what are the different properties?
Spinous process and transverse process (where back muscles and ligaments attach)
Pedicle and laminae (pedicle is a stub of bone that connects the lamina to the vertebral body to form the vertebral arch)
Vertebral body (thick oval segment of bone forming front of vertebra aka centrum)
What are two main causes of lacerations in the spinal cord?
Bony fragments driven into the vertebral foramen (centre whole of spine)
Cord may be stretched to point of tearing
What indicates a haemorrhage in the spinal cord?
Swelling and disruption of impulses
When would a haemorrhage be suspected? (3)
Associated with contusion, laceration or stretching
What is considered primary cord injury?
Cord is cut, torn, crushed, or loses blood supply
Damage is immediate and irreversible
What is considered secondary cord injury?
Hypoxia, swelling, hypotension, compression from bleeding or swelling around the cord
Develops after primary cord injury
Good patient care will limit secondary injury
What are the general signs and symptoms of spinal cord injuries?
Paralysis
Pain with and without movement
Tenderness along spine
Impaired breathing
Spinal deformity
Priapism (condition where penis remains erect for hours in absence of stimulation or after stimulation has ended)
Posturing
Loss of bowel or bladder control
Nerve impairment to extremities
What are the two types of haemorrhage?
Internal and external
What are some symptoms of internal bleeding?
Dizziness
Severe weakness
Passing out
Low BP
Acute visual problems
Numbness
Weakness on one side of the body
Severe headache
Severe abdo pain
Shortness of breath
Chest pain
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhoea
What are some symptoms of shock?
Rapid heart rate
Low BP
Sweaty skin
Changes in overall alertness, including increase in sleepiness
Overall weakness
What can be some general causes of internal bleeding?
Damage to blood vessels (minor tears with an injury)
Lack of clotting factors
Certain medications (e.g. blood thinners)
Chronic high BP
Inherited bleeding disorder (e.g.haemophilia)
Gastrointestinal causes
Lifestyle factors
Trauma
Aneurysms
Broken bones
Ectopic pregnancy
Surgery
What are the three types of external bleeding?
Capillary bleeding
Venous bleeding
Arterial bleeding
