Trauma Flashcards
First step when assessing trauma?
ABCs
How to tell if airway patent vs urgent vs emergent
Patent if patient is speaking in full sentences, bilateral breath sounds
Urgent if impending airway collapse like expanding hematoma or cutaneous emphysema
Emergent intubation if gurgling, stridor, GCS
Goal RR when assessing trauma
12-20
Stepwise escalation in breathing for patient
Supplemental O2, Bag mask, ET tube, cricothyrotomy
Signs of circulatory shock?
SBP
Equation to determine MAP?
MAP=COxSVR
How to determine CO?
CO=HRxSV
How to determine SV?
Preload x contractility
Conditions that decrease preload?
Hemorrhage or obstruction (pericardial tamponade/tension pneumothorax).
How to diagnose hemorrhage?
FAST (focused assessment with sonography for trauma)
How to treat hemorrhage?
2 large bore IVs, IVF, type and screen, give blood, fix the hole.
Patient presentation with tension pneumo?
Engorged neck veins, absent lung sounds, deviated trachea, hyperresonant cavity.
Treatment for tension pneumo
Immediate needle decompression at anterior second intercostal space.
Patient presentation with percardial tamponade?
Engorged neck veins, clear lungs, distant heart sounds, hypotension, pulsus paradoxus
How to diagnose pericardial tamponade?
FAST
How to treat pericardial tamponade?
Pericardiocentesis
Signs and cause of basilar skull fracture
Significant trauma causes raccoon eyes or battle sign. Perhaps CSF leak from ear or nose.
How to diagnose basilar skull fracture
CT scan
How does an epidural hematoma occur?
Side of head trauma causes middle meningial artery bleed
How does patient with epidural hematoma present?
Unconscious -> lucid interval -> death
How to diagnose epidural hematoma?
Lens shape on CT scan
Treatment for epidural hematoma
Craniotomy
What type of patients get acute subdural hematomas?
Shaken babies or teens in a HUGE trauma like an MVA.
How to diagnose subdural hematoma?
CT scan shows crescent
How to treat a patient with subdural hematoma?
Decrease intracranial pressure so elevate head of bed, hyperventilate patient, give mannitol.
What type of patients get chronic subdural hematomas?
Elderly, alcoholics. Bridging veins tear.
How to treat concussion?
Send patient home, keep patient awake so they don’t slip into coma.
What types of patients get diffuse axonal injury?
Angular trauma, patient will slip into coma.
How to diagnose diffuse axonal injury?
CT shows blurring of grey-white junction with punctate hemorrhages.
How to work up gsw to upper neck, middle neck, lower neck?
Upper neck - arteriogram
Middle neck - surgery
Lower neck - bronch, endoscopy, arteriogram
Then get a CT of the C-spine
How to work up knife wound to upper neck, middle neck, lower neck?
Arteriogram and ultrasound to all three.
Then get a CT of the c-spine
When to go right to surgery after GSW or knife wound to the neck?
GSW to middle neck or any time a patient is gurgling, has a hematoma, and is in shock.
Spinal cord tracts DCML, pain+temp, motor
Pain and temp cross immediately, DCML and motor fibers cross in medulla. So injury on one side will affect ipsilateral proprioception and movement but contralateral pain and temp perception.
How to treat any cord syndrome with urinary or fecal incontinence or erectile dysfunction?
Immediate high dose dexamethasone. Diagnose with MRI.
What types of patients get anterior cord lesion? What is the pathogenesis and what are the symptoms?
Elderly patients, patients in MVA. From hyperextension of neck.
Symptoms are paralysis and burning pain in extremities.
What causes rib fractures?
Blunt trauma.
Symptoms of rib fracture? Consequence of symptoms?
Chest pain and splinted breathing. Causes atelectasis and eventually pneumonia.
How to treat rib fracture?
With pain control.
Signs of pneumothorax
Dyspnea, hyperresonant lung sounds, decreased breath sounds.
How to diagnose pneumothorax?
CXR shows vertical lung shadow.
How to treat pneumothorax?
Thoracostomy at apex
Signs of hemothorax
Dullness to percussion, dyspnea, decreased breath sounds
How to diagnose hemothorax?
CXR shows horizontal air fluid level.
How to treat hemothorax?
Thoracostomy at base of lung. Must check output to see if bleed is from peripheral vasculature or pulmonary vasculature.
If >1500 ml or >600cc/hour, then GO TO SURGERY.
How to treat a tension pneumothorax
Occlusive dressing taped x 3.
What causes flail chest?
Huge blunt trauma where 2 or more ribs break in 2 or more places.
How to tell if a patient has flail chest?
Paradoxical movement, breathing out causes segment to move in, viceversa.
How to treat flail chest?
Weights/binders.
How do patients get a pulmonary contusion?
Scapular fracture, sternal fracture, or flail chest.
What will the CXR show for pulmonary contusion?
CXR will be normal until 48 hours after the trauma at which point it will show bilateral white out.
Symptoms of pulmonary contusion?
Dyspnea, pulmonary edema.
How to treat pulmonary contusion?
Avoid crystalloids, give colloids, PEEP.