Pathologies of thorax and abdomen and anatomy Flashcards
what does the thorax do
it protects vital internal organs (heart & lungs)
What are the 3 categories of the ribs
- true ribs (ribs 1-7) “sternal ribs”
- false ribs (8-10) (indirectly attach to the sternum)
- floating ribs (11-12)
- coastal cartilage (lacks Blood flow and risk of injury due to age)
what are the 3 anatomical structures that make up the sternum
- manubrium
- body
- xiphoid process (avoid when doing CPR)
What is the function of the ribs
- provides attachment for the muscles of the neck, thorax, upper abdomen, and back
- elasticity of false/floating ribs allows rib cage movement for respiratory activity
What happens in Inspiration
external intercostals contract > diaphragm contracts > expansion of ribs moves sternum upward & outward
What happens in expiration
external intercostals relax > internal intercostals & abdominal contracts for active expiration > diaphragm relaxes > ribs & sternum depress
Rib Fx etiology
- direct blow = Fx @ point of contact
- Indirect trauma = general compression of ribs
- violent muscle contraction
- coughing/ laughing
- overuse= stress fx
Rib Fx s/s & care
s/s: TTP, pain on inhalation, pain on A/P and lateral compression
Care:
- referral
- swathe, arm @ side- compression/reduce movement
- Px: 3-4wks
- sequelae: hemothorax/pneumothorax
Costochondral Fx/ separation etiology
as in Rib Fx- blunt trauma, compression injury
Costochondral Fx/ separation pathology
rib cartilage disrupted/ displaced
Costochondral Fx/ separation s/s
- deformity @ rib/cartilage junction
- pain on inspiration & thoracic movement
-crepitus
Px: out for 4-8wks
Pneumothorax “collapsed lung” types
traumatic, spontaneous, and tension
Pneumothorax etiology for traumatic
puncture to chest wall, sucking wound or rupture of lung tissue
Pneumothorax etiology for spontaneous
idiopathic in tall, thin young men (Marfan syndrome)
- secondary spontaneous= result of disease: cancer, congestive heart failure, emphysema
Pneumothorax etiology for tension
Pleural cavity fills with air with each inhalation
Pneumothorax “collapsed lung” pathology
lung collapses, mediastinum shifts away
Pneumothorax “collapsed lung” s/s
-sudden onset of sharp chest pain, especially with inhalation, (shortness of breath), anoxia, absent or lessened breath sounds
Pneumothorax “collapsed lung” care
- Xray to diagnose
-simple: oxygen supplementation or chest tube - tension: pneumothorax treated emergently w/inserting bore needle into space at the midclavicular line, allowing trapped air to escape