Trauma Flashcards
Definition of Massive Hemothorax (Indications for op management)
>1500 mL blood upon chest tube placement
or
200 mL/h X 4h
Needle Thoracostomy
14G needle, 2nd ICS midclavicular line
Indications for chest tube placement
Hemothorax > 200-300 mL
Pneumothorax > 1.0 cm wide or not confined to upper 1/3 of chest
Landmark for chest tube placement
Triangle of safety: Lateral border of pec major, anterior border of lat dorsi, 5th ICS AKA anterior axillary line, 5th ICS
Procedure of inserting chest tube
Occlude prox (away form pt) end of tube with clamp. Grasp distal end with other clamp.
Oblique incision 1-2 cm below intended ICS.
Large clamp to dissect IC muscles to level above incision, enlarge to 1.5-2,0 cm.
Insert finger along top of clamp to make sure lung not adhered to chest wall.
Grasp tube by side hole with clamp and advance until at least the last side hole is 2.5-5.0 cm inside the chest wall.
For pneumo aim anteriorly, for hemo aim posterolaterally.
Simple interrupted 1-0 ethilon, wrap ends around tube & tie.
Petroleum gauze dressing –>sterile gauze dressing –>pressure dressing.
Connect to pleur-evac –>unclamp free end.
20-30 cm H20 suction
Xray - if last hole not in pleural space, replace tube, do not advance (not sterile)
How to remove chest tube
Pull on end-expiration or inspiration, can be during valsalva. Cover with petroleum gauze –>sterile gauze–>pressure dressing. CXR 12-24h post.
What to do with a sucking chest wound?
Cover immediately with sterile petrolatum gauze dressing secured on three sides. Chest tube at a separate site (do not insert through wound site as will follow knife tract into lung or diaphragm).
Indications for removing chest tube.
24h after air leaks stop or drainage serous and <200 mL/24h.
Do not remove while on vent.
What size of chest tube to use?
Pneumo: 24-28 F
Hemo: 32-40 F
Classes of Hemorrhage
Class I: <15% (750 mL) Slightly anxious
Class II: 15-30% (750-1500 mL) HR 100-120, narrow PP, RR 20-30, u/o 20-30 ml/h
Class III: 30-40% (1500-2000 mL) HR 120-140, BP low, RR 30-40, u/o 5-15 ml/h
Class IV: >40% (>2000 mL) HR >140, RR >35, very low u/o, decreased LOC
Class III, IV, consider starting blood right away
Canadian C-Spine Rules
1. Stable + GCS 15 + Trauma
2. Any HR features?
Age >=65, fall >=3ft/5stairs, axial load to head, MVC >100 km/h, rollover, ejection, motorized rec vehicle, bicycle struck/collision, paresthesias in extremities
3. Any LR features?
Simple rear-end MVC (not pushed into oncoming traffic, no bus/truck, no rollover, <100 km/h), sitting in the ED, ambulatory at any time, delayed onset (>30 min) neck pain, no midline c-spine tenderness
If no HR, and at least one LR then turn head 45 deg either way.
TIG Dosage and Indications
For contaminated wounds with < 3 injections in series of Td vaccinations (2, 4, 6 18 months, 4-6 years, 16 years, or unknown status).
250 IU IM X 1 (give at separate site from Td) for age >7
For age <7, dose is 4 IU/kg up to max of 250 IU
Sources of blood loss
“On the floor and four places more”
- chest
- abdo
- pelvis
- femur
Definition of massive transfusion
More than 10 units/24h
Becks’ Triad
Hypotension
JVD
Muffled Heart Sounds
Findings of traumatic aortic disruption on CXR
- widened mediastinum
- obliteration of aortic knob
- tracheal deviation (RIGHT)
- depression of LEFT mainstem bronchus
- elevation of RIGHT mainstem bronchus
- obscuration of aortopulmonary window
- deviation of esophagus/NG tube RIGHT
- widened paratracheal stripe
- widened paraspinal interfaces
- pleural/apical cap
- LEFT hemothorax
- 1st/2nd rib or scapular #s
Signs of Esophageal Rupture
Treatment
LEFT haemo/pneumothorax without rib # following severe blow to lower sternum/epigastrium and pain out of proportion to injury
Treatment: chest tube & early repair
Uncal Herniation
CN III (oculomotor) runs along edge of tentorium and gets compressed with temporal lobe (uncal) herniation. Also compresses corticospinal (pyramidal) tract in midbrain. Ipsilateral pupillary dilation with contralateral hemiparesis.
Signs of basilar skull #
Raccoon/Battle’s, CSF leakage, 7th, 8th nerve palsies
Normal & High ICP
Normal is ~10 mm Hg, >20 mm Hg is high.
Contusion/intracerebral hematomas
Usually in frontal and temporal lobes. 20% evolve to need NSx. Need repeat CT within 24h.
Hyperventilation in Traumatic Brain Injury
Reduces PCO2, causes cerebral vasoconstriction, decreases edema, but also CPP. Only for short time (i.e. if herniating/deteriorating) to 25-30 mm Hg.
Dose of mannitol in IICP, contraindications
20% (20 g/100 mL), do not give if hypotensive (osmotic diuretic), give if signs herniation/deterioration. 1 g/kg over 5 minutes
Dose of hypertonic saline in IICP (adults)
150 mL 3% over 5-10 minutes
Spinal cord tracts
Central Cord Syndrome
Arms weaker than legs. Usually from hyperextension in elderly. Thought to be from vascular compromise of anterior spinal artery.
Anterior Cord Syndrome
Paraplegia, loss of pain/temperature, intact dorsal column function (position, vibration). Poor prognosis for recovery.
Brown-Sequard Syndrome
Hemisection of cord, usually from penetrating trauma. Ipsilateral motor loss and positional loss with contralateral loss of pain/temp one to two levels below level of injury.
C1 Rotary Subluxation
Can occur from minor injury, esp in kids. Neck stuck in rotation. Odontoid not equidistant on open mouth view. Do not force.
Hangman’s #
This fracture is virtually never seen in suicidial hanging. Indeed it was not even seen in many of those who were judicially hanged; asphyxiation being the usual mode of death. Major trauma in hyperextension, such as a high speed motor vehicle accident, is in fact the most common association – especially in fatal cases.
X of both pars interarticularis (pedicles) of C2