Trauma Flashcards
what is resuscitation?
the process of correcting physiological disorders in an acutely unwell or injured patient
what does resuscitation involve?
all trauma patients get high flow oxygen before ABCDE get general impression major trauma - blood is normally fluid of choice
what are the mechanisms of injury likely to result in resuscitation?
road traffic collisions
- account for 1/3 of all major trauma presentations
- falls
- interpersonal violence
- suicide
- work place accidents
- trauma
- most common in young men 18-40
What are the aims of treatment in high energy injuries?
e.g. road traffic accidents (RTA) or falling from heights save life prevent serious systemic complications secondary aims (not as important)preventing pain and loss of function from fractures and dislocations
what can quick medical and surgical treatment in the golden hour prevent death from?
-Airway compromise
-Severe head injuries
-Severe chest injuries
- internal organ rupture
- fractures associated with significant blood loss (pelvis and femur)
Airway assessment in trauma
sound of breathing can indicate blockage ability to speak indicates clear airway need to protect the C-spine
Breathing and ventilation assessment in trauma
high flow O2 and tight fitting mask for all major trauma patients pulse oximetry need to rule out pneumothorax (including tension)haemothorax pulmonary contusion flail chest
Circulation and bleeding control in trauma
pulse and ECG to assessurinary output for fluid balance (minimum 30ml/hr)do they look well perfused all major trauma patients given 2 litres of IV crystalloid initially get access - bilateral large bore peripheral venous access
Potential circulation issues in trauma
Hypovolaemic shock
- tachycardia, reduced BP, confusion/lethargy, fluid resuscitation exsanguinating haemothorax
- May need thoracotomy
- Blunt penetrating abdominal trauma
- Check for internal bleeding pelvic fracture
- Can cause substantial blood loss obvious external bleeding
- Major peripheral arterial/venous bleeding - temporary tourniquet
- Haemorrhagic shock - can be concealed in older people and children
- Often visible site of injury
Disability assessment in trauma
Glasgow trauma score 15 - best score 3 - worst score assesses motor response, verbal response and eye opening with a score from 1 to 5 used to prevent secondary brain injury, get early neurosurgical intervention
Exposure in trauma
make sure no injuries are missed - keep warm to avoid hypothermiawarmed IV fluids should be given
what tests are done in major trauma after the primary survey?
Trauma series of x-rays
Log roll patient look for signs of spinal fracture
PR exam
Check c-spine injury
Urinary catheter
NG tube blood tests
what is the secondary survey?
-After primary survey when patient is stable
- ABCDE 2ndry survey = head-to-toe examination to detect other injuries,
- (Whole body CT?)
- Get more thorough history, PMH and fasting status
What is polytrauma
-More than 1 major long bone injured
-Or major fracture is associated with significant chest/abdominal trauma
-Need early stabilisation to avoid SIRS, ARDS and hypovolaemia»
All of which can lead to MODS (multi-organ dysfunction syndrome) and potential death
what is a fracture?
a break in the bone can be because of direct trauma (direct blow) but normally indirect trauma e.g. twisting/bending forces
What are the 2 types of fracture?
partial/incomplete e.g. unicortical stress fracturecomplete breaks
what kind of mechanisms of injury cause high and low energy fractures?
High energy: RTA, GSW, blast, fall from height
Low energy - trip, fall, sports injury
Primary bone healing?
-Occurs when minimal fracture gap (less than 1mm)
Bone bridges the gap with new bone formed by osteoblasts this happens
Eg healing of hairline fractures and when the fractures are fixed with compression screws and plates
Secondary bone healing?
-Majority of fractures gap at the fracture site more than 1mm
Involves an inflammatory response - recruitment of pluropotential stem cells (can differentiate into any cell)
what is the process of secondary bone healing?
Fracture occurs
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Haematoma occurs with inflammation from damaged tissue .
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macrophages and osteoclasts remove debris and reabsorb the bone ends fibroblasts and new blood vessels cause the formation of granulation tissue
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chondroblasts form cartilage (soft callus, formed by the 2nd/3rd week)
>osteoblasts lay down bone matrix (type 1 collagen) - endochondral ossification immature woven bone (hard callus, takes 6-12 weeks to appear) is formed by calcium mineralisation remodelling, organisation along lines of stress into lamellar bone
Secondary bone healing needs…
good blood supply for oxygen nutrients and stem cells requires little movement or stress (compression or tension)
What causes atrophic non-union to occur?
lack of blood supply no movement - internal fixation with fracture gap fracture gap is too big tissue is trapped in the fracture gap
hypertrophic non-union occurs when
excessive movement (no chance for fracture to bridge the gap)abundant hard callus formation
things that impair fracture healing?
smoking (causes vasospasm)
vascular disease
chronic ill health
malnutrition
what is a transverse fracture?
due to bending force - may angulate or cause rotational malalignment
what is an oblique fracture?
due to sheer force - fall from height, deacceleration can be fixed by internal fragmentary screws tends to shorten may angulate
What is a spiral fracture?
due to torsional (twisting) forcescan be fixed with interfragmentary screws mostly unstable to rotational forces can also angulate
what is a comminuted fracture?
Fractures with 3 or more fragments generally due to high energy injury or poor bone quality
May be substantial soft tissue swelling and periosteal damage with reduced blood supply to the fracture site which impairs healing very unstable tend to be surgically stabilised
what is a segmental fracture?
bone is fractured into 2 separate places very unstable needs stabilised with long rods or plates
what does valgus and varus mean?
valgus - anything which goes away from the midline varus - anything which goes towards the midline
FOOSH
falling on outstretched hand- ask about hand dominance X-ray - look for rough edges, cortex break fracture can appear more white (bone on bone) or darker (space)
limb fracture management?
reduce - get as close to original position as possible retain - keep it there rehabilitate - restore function
Operative options for fracture (least - most invasive)
plaster cast - after reducing it fixation
- K-wire open reduction and internal fixation
- Plate and screw
- Application of an external fixator - only if infection or too swollen
- Eventually remove K-wires - leave plates and screws in
intra-articular fracture
look for any reduced joint space (impaction) may need bone graft
why do you want to get fractures involving the joint surface as they were
to avoid OA
BOAST guidelines for open fractures
- limb should be realigned and splinted - remove gross contamination, dress with saline-soaked gauze and cover with occlusive film - combined orthoplastic response- debridement - definitive soft tissue closure/ coverage within 72 hrs of injury if it can’t be performed at time of the debridement
what is the initial management of a long bone fracture?
Analgesia (usually IV morphine)
Splintage/immobilisation of the limb
Investigation - X ray if fracture is grossly displaced, obvious dislocation or skin damage because of excessive pressure
- Do reduction of the fracture before waiting for an X-ray
definitive management for undisplaced, minimally displaced and minimally angulated fractures which are considered to be stable long bone fractures
non-operative with splintage/immobilisation then rehab
definitive management for displaced or angulated long bone fractures
reduce under anaesthetic - closed reduction and cast, serial X rays
definitive management for unstable injuries
surgical stabilisation K-wiresplates and screws intermedullary nails external fixation
definitive management for unstable extra-articular diaphyseal fractures
open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) -
Using plates or screws ORIF should be avoided when soft tissues are swollen, blood supply to fracture site is weak or where ORIF may cause extensive blood loss or plate fixation may be prominent e.g. tibia
Do a closed reduction and internal fixation with intramedullary nail or extenal fixation which aims for 2ndry bone healing - risk of infection and loosening
definitive management for displaced intra-articular fractures
ORIF using wires, screws and platesmay need joint replacement or arthrodesis
definitive management of long bone fractures in elderly people with osteoporosis and dementia
higher risk of complications of surgery failure of fixation failure to rehabilitate satisfactorily - elderly patients also tend to have a high functional demand so surgery is usually avoided
early local complications of fractures
Compartment syndrome
Vascular injury with ischaemia
Nerve compression/ injury
Skin necrosis