Trauma Flashcards
What is the leading cause of death for patients ages ____ to _____
Trauma
ages 1 - 45
US
Leading cause of death worldwide between ages 15 and 44?
Still trauma
Name the three components of an initial evaluation
- Rapid Overview
- Primary Survey - ABCDE
- Secondary Survey
Primary Survey
- Airway Patency (obstruction?)
- Breathing
- Circulation (skin temp, color, 2 large bore IVs)
- Disability (GCS)
- Exposure
Airway Patency Assessment
Are they talking?
Agitated? = Hypoxia
Gargling? = Tracheobronchial injury
Flail Chest
3 or more fractured ribs associated w/costrochondral separation
resp insufficiency and hypoxemia over several hours w/deterioration of CXR and ABG
pain management > mechanical ventilation
CPAP or BiPAP may be helpful
Tension Pneumothorax
due to air leaking from the lung, or chest wall into the pleural space
pneumothorax presents in 40% of blunt thoracic injuries
this is why nitrous oxide is c/i in thoracic trauma
Massive hemothorax
> 1500 mL
pneumothorax s/s (6)
hypotension hypoxia tachycardia diminished breath sounds SQ emphysema distended neck veins
GCS Scale - Eye Opening
4 points = spontaneous
3 = to verbal
2 = to pain
1 = not at all
GCS Scale - Verbal
5 = normal conversation 4 = responds, but doesn't make sense 3 = responds, incomprehensible 2 = no words, moans 1 = no response
GCS Scale - Pain
6 = follows commands 5 = localizes pain 4 = withdraws from pain 3 = decorticate 2 = decerebrate 1 = does nothing
GCS < 8
intubate
GCS > 13
mild brain injury
GCS 9 - 12
moderate brain injury
Secondary Survey
Begins after critical life saving actions have begun i/e/ (intubation, chest tubes, fluids)
Focus includes: history, LAMP
DM? Low blood glucose?
Airway Evaluation
Assume patient absolutely requires an airway and cannot be re-awakened electively
Jaw broken
can you mask ventilate? maybe just NRB and intubate from that
Direct airway injury
maybe no edema now.. but there will be later
Airway obstruction considerations (8)
- cervical deformity
- cervical hematoma
- foreign bodies
- dyspnea, hoarseness, stridor, dysphonia
- SQ emphysema + crepitation (tracheal tear?)
- Hemoptysis (no fiberoptic w/active bleeding)
- Tracheal deviation - tension pneumo + death
- JVD - cardiac tamponade
Cardiac tamponade s/s
narrowed pulse pressure
muffled heart sounds
hypoperfusion
Some considerations for airway management (3)
Full stomach
Oral ett > nasal ett b/c airway pressures
C-Spine stability
Major contraindications for a nasal intubation
basilar skull fracture
s/s basilar skull fracture
battle sign
CSF leakage
raccoon eyes
Indication for ETT intubation (7)
- cardiac/resp arrest
- Deteriorating respiratory condition (contusion/pneumo/burns)
- Need for deep sedation
- GCS < 8
- CO poisoning - need that 100% FiO2
- Uncooperative/intoxicated pt
- Transient hyperventilation for a head injury
Tracheotomy
takes longer to perform
need neck extension (c/i c-spine injury)
Cricothyroidotomy contraindications (2)
c/i in those < 12 y.o.
laryngeal damage - c/i
How long can a cricothyroidotomy last?
72 hours
Cricothyrotomy supplies
- Scalpel - 2.5cm vertical incision, keep < 1.3 cm deep
- Dilator
- Tracheal Hook - Keep dilator in until tracheal hook placed
- 10 cc syringe + trach cuff
- Trach tube (< 7 ) or ETT 6.0
Instances you do a cric (5)
macey
- massive trauma to the face
- angioneurotic edema
- supraglottic obstruction
- croup/epiglottitis
- inhalational injury
Gold standard for C-Spine injury
fiberoptic intubation - awake (pt gotta be cooperative tho)