Soft Tissue Injuries

Question 1

What is Soft Tissue?

Answer 1

• tissues that connect, support, or surround other structures and organs of the body
• includes muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, nerves, fibrous tissues, fat, blood vessels, and synovial membranes

Question 2

Closed Wounds

Answer 2

• result from blunt trauma or compressions forces
• skin is intact
• consider location of injury
• Types: contusion, crush injury, compartment syndrome

Question 3

Open Wounds

Answer 3

• skin surface is broken

- Types: abrasions, lacerations, avulsions, punctures, perforations, amputations AAAPPL

Question 4

Abrasions

Answer 4

-top layer of skin is scraped, low priority, main concern is infection

Question 5

Laceration

Answer 5

• cut; arterial and venous bleeds = life threat

Question 6

Hemostatic Dressing

Answer 6

• soaked in special clotting agent; shove into wound; use when you can’t use a tourniquet

Question 7

Avulsions

Answer 7

• “degloving” - parts of skin and underlying skin is peeled off
• try to realign skin and cover with bandage

Question 8

Punctures and Perforations

Answer 8

• concerned over entry and exit wounds
• high speed at entry, slows down and has higher impact at exit wound
• no exit wound? - foreign obj. in body, possible infection, internal bleeding
• consider spinal injury

Question 9

Impaled Objects

Answer 9

• penetrating injury w/ obj. sticking out of patient
• log roll, stabilize obj., cover both eyes
• remove only if it impedes airway or CPR

Question 10

Amputations

Answer 10

• apply tourniquet, apply wet and then dry sterile dressing
• find limb, wrap in wet sterile dressing, double bag with ice
• address stump before limb

Question 11

Crush Syndrome

Answer 11

• seen in someone stuck under rubble; large amount of skeletal muscle is compressed for long time; tissue dies and can release toxins; compromised blood flow; call med control

Question 12

Compartment Syndrome

Answer 12

• muscle groups and nerves surrounded by fascia -inelastic; known as compartment
• when damaged, begin to swell but encounter fascia
• pressure is focused inwards, swollen muscle compresses blood vessels and nerves

Question 13

Sucking Chest Wound

Answer 13

1. BSI/SS
2. clean away excess blood
3. flutter valve - sterile occlusive taped on 3 sides
4. check for exit wound
5. sterile occlusive on 4 sides
6. SMR considerations
7. treat for shock

Question 14

Evisceration

Answer 14

1. BSI/SS
2. Expose area
3. Wet sterile dressing
4. Dry sterile dressing
5. tape sterile occlusive
6. treat for shock, don’t put organs back

Question 15

Neck Laceration

Answer 15

1. BSI/SS
2. Direct pressure with hand
3. Replace with gauze
4. Sterile occlusive on 4 sides
5. treat for shock

Question 16

Facial Injuries

Answer 16

• first concern is airway, possible head trauma

- skin here is highly vascularized, bleeding could be excessive

Question 17

Severity & Complications

Answer 17

• Complications: bleeding, infection, damage to underlying structures
• Severity determined by: MOI, site of injury, introduction of foreign bodies