Trauma Flashcards
What are the different types of shock?
Cardiogenic, hypovolemic, septic, neurogenic.
Mechanism of hypovolemic shock, and what happens to: HR, SVR, CO, PCWP, CVP
Decreased blood and plasma volume. Can be caused by trauma or burns. HR goes way up, SVR goes way up, CO is down, PCWP is down, CVP is down.
Mechanism of cardiogenic shock, and what happens to: HR, SVR, CO, PCWP, CVP
Failure of myocardial pump (blunt cardiac injury), decreased preload (cardiac tamponade, tension pneumothorax). HR goes up, SVR goes up, CO is down, PCWP goes up, CVP goes up.
Mechanism of neurogenic shock, and what happens to: HR, SVR, CO, PCWP, CVP
Autonomic dysfunction (loss of sympathetic tone) with peripheral vasodilation. Can be caused by cervical spine injury. HR can be normal or slightly bradycardic, SVR goes down, CO goes down, PCWP goes down, CVP goes down.
Mechanism of septic shock, and what happens to: HR, SVR, CO, PCWP, CVP
Systemic infection. HR goes way up, SVR goes down, CO goes up, PCWP goes down, CVP is dynamic (up and down).
Clinical manifestations of hypovolemic shock
Tachycardia (initial sign), hypotension, pale/cool extremities, weak peripheral pulses, prolonged capillary refill, low urine output, altered mental status.
Significance of blood at the urethral meatus in a trauma setting
Highly suggestive of a urethral injury secondary to a pelvic fracture. Other signs of urethral injury include perineal ecchymosis, scrotal hematoma, and a high-riding (non-palpable) prostate on digital rectal examination (DRE).
What is the significance of gross hematuria after blunt trauma?
Injury to kidney or bladder
How Much Blood Loss Is Necessary to cause Hypotension in the Supine Position?
Hypotension in the supine position implies the patient has lost 30–40 % of his blood volume, which represents 1,500–2,000 ml of blood.
How much blood loss is Shock class 1-4?
Class 1: up to 750 ml
Class 2: 750 - 1500 ml
Class 3: 1500 ml - 2000 ml
Class 4: >2000 ml
5 Main sources of Major blood loss in trauma
Chest, abdomen, pelvis/retroperitoneum, long bones, and “street” or external.
Where can the descending aorta often become transected following blunt trauma?
Distal to the ligamentum arteriosum
ABCDE of trauma patient management
Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability (neurologic workup), Exposure and environmental control
Types of airway (3 total, 2 surgical) considered in a trauma setting
Orotracheal (best, first line) and Cricothyroidotomy.
Sidenote, Tracheostomy is not considered in a trauma setting because it requires more time and more expertise.
Why is nasotracheal intubation not indicated in a trauma setting?
Trauma patients may have facial and basilar skull fractures. Attempts at nasotracheal intubation may lead to inadvertent intracranial passage of the nasotracheal tube.
Secondary survey of trauma patients
AMPLE: Allergies, Medications, Past medical history, Last meal, Events preceding the trauma
Two types of surgical airways
Cricothyrotomy and tracheostomy. Cricothyrotomy is more indicated in a trauma setting.
How do you confirm proper intubation placement?
End-tidal CO2 determination (capnography), and subsequent chest X-ray
FAST scan
Focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST scan) looks for fluid in the peritoneal cavity. For unstable trauma pts.
DPL
Diagnostic peritoneal lavage. Abdominal incision –> catheter inserted into the peritoneal cavity. Positive if more than 20 cc of gross blood is aspirated –> pt is transported directly to the OR. If no blood, may perform a lavage of the peritoneal cavity with one liter of normal saline. DPL is positive if there are more than 100,000 RBCs/mm3.
Most common cause of intra-abdominal bleeding following blunt trauma
Splenic injury (the most commonly injured organ is the liver)
Kehr’s sign
Acute referred pain in the left shoulder due to splenic injury
Most common injured organ in blunt trauma
Liver
Pringle maneuver
Clamping the portal triad. Used to stop hepatic artery or portal vein bleeding. If pringle maneuver fails, implies bleeding is coming from hepatic veins.
Management of pelvic fracture bleeding other than fluid resuscitation
Pelvic volume reduction by wrapping a pelvic binder or sheet around the greater trochanters of the femurs.
MIVT Prehospital report
Mechanism, Injury, Vitals, Treatment
Two most common types of penetrating injury
Stab wounds and gunshot wounds
Pathology of tension pneumothorax
Air entering the pleural space crushes the IVC, inhibiting venous return to the heart, leading to cardiogenic (obstructive) shock
Three physical exam findings that independently mandate immediate operative intervention in a trauma patient
Hypotension, peritonitis, evisceration
Borders of the anterior abdomen
Xiphoid and costal margins superiorly, the anterior axillary lines laterally, and the inguinal ligaments and pubic symphysis
inferiorly
Borders of the flank
Between anterior and posterior axillary lines from the level of the sixth intercostal space to the iliac crest
Borders of the back
Tips of the scapular superiorly, posterior axillary lines laterally, and the iliac crests inferiorly
Two most common injuries following penetrating abdominal injury
Small bowel followed by liver
Are FAST exam and DPL exam better for blunt or penetrating abdominal trauma?
They are both better for blunt trauma. They also miss things in the retroperitoneum.
Massive Transfusion Protocol
Blood component therapy (RBC, plasma, platelets) in pts who are hemorrhaging or exsanguinating.
Permissive hypotension
Limiting fluid resuscitation in a trauma patient, permitting mild hypotension to avoid exacerbating bleeding and dilutional coagulopathy. ONLY APPLICABLE TO PENETRATING INJURY PATIENTS, NOT BLUNT.
Prophylactic antibiotics and analgesics for patients with penetrating trauma
Trick question, don’t give these. Routine antibiotics and analgesics can mask important signs and symptoms in trauma patients. The exception to this rule
is if the patient has clear indications for surgical intervention on initial exam (e.g., peritonitis, hemodynamic instability).
These patients should receive preoperative antibiotics to cover bowel flora.
Mainstay of surgical treatment for penetrating abdominal trauma patients
Exploratory laparotamy
Damage control surgery
Limiting surgery to controlling life-threatening hemorrhage and temporarily controlling gastrointestinal contamination, followed by temporary closure of the abdomen and transfer to the intensive care unit for ongoing resuscitation. Once patients are adequately resuscitated,
they are brought back to the operating room to undergo definitive repair of the injuries.
Criteria for non-op management of penetrating abdominal trauma (list 4)
Hemodynamically stable patient, no peritonitis, evaluable (normal mental status), CT-scan showing no intra-abdominal injury.
How long should prophylactic antibiotics be administered following ex lap for trauma?
24 hours
Abdominal compartment syndrome - who is at risk, signs/symptoms, and treatment
Who: Pts w/ multiple traumatic injuries, esp. intra- abdominal or retroperitoneal, who received large volumes of fluids/blood products.
Signs: Decreased urine output, increasing peak pressures on the ventilator, and increasing vasopressor support, in the absence of another identifiable cause. Bladder pressure should be measured as it reflects intra-abdominal pressure. Treatment: Decompressive laparotomy (reopening the abdominal fascia and leaving the wound open)
Signs a good airway is present in a trauma patient
Conscious and speaking in full sentences, normal tone of voice
Signs breathing is okay in a trauma patient
Breath sounds bilaterally, satisfactory pulse oximetry
Clinical manifestations of shock in general
Low BP (under 90 mm Hg systolic), fast feeble pulse, and low urinary output (under 0.5 mL/kg/h) in a patient who is pale, cold, shivering, sweating, thirsty, and apprehensive
Management of pericardial tamponade
pericardiocentesis (main answer), but also pericardial window or open thoracotomy
Management of neurogenic shock
Pharmacologic treatment (e.g. vasopressors) to restore peripheral resistance
Linear skull fracture treatment
If closed, leave it alone. If open, close wound. If comminuted or depressed, operate in OR.
Signs of fracture of base of skull
Raccoon eyes, rhinorrhea, otorrhea/ecchymosis behind the ear
3 Components that contribute to neurological damage from trauma
The initial blow, the subsequent development of a hematoma that displaces the midline structures, and the later development of increased intracranial pressure (ICP). There is no treatment for the first, surgery can relieve the second, and medical measures can prevent or minimize the third.
CT finding in Acute epidural hematoma
biconvex (lens shaped) hematoma
CT finding in acute subdural hematoma
Semilunar, crescent shaped hematoma
Purpose of hyperventilation for head trauma patients
Hyperventilation decreases intracranial pressure
CT finding of diffuse axonal injury
diffuse blurring of gray/white matter interface, and multiple small punctate hemorrhages
Typical subdural hematoma patients
In very old or in severe alcoholics. A shrunken brain is rattled around the head by minor trauma, tearing venous sinuses. Over several days or weeks, mental function deteriorates as hematoma forms
Zones of the neck
Zone 1: xyphoid process to sternal notch.
Zone 2: Cricoid cartilage to angle of mandible.
Zone 3: Angle of mandible to mastoid process
Spinal Cord injury: Nothing works below point of injury
Complete transection of spinal cord
Spinal cord injury: paralysis distal to the injury on the injury side and loss of pain perception distal to the injury on the other side
Hemisection (Brown-Sequard)
Spinal cord injury: loss of motor function and loss of pain and temperature sensation on both sides distal to the injury, with preservation of vibratory and positional sense
Anterior cord syndrome
Spinal cord injury: paralysis and burning pain in the upper extremities, with preservation of most functions in the lower extremities.
Central cord syndrome