Trauma: Thermal Injuries Flashcards
Which 5 factors cause cell injury?
- Nutritional Deficit
- Mechanical Forces
- Chemical Injury
- Radiation Injury
- Extreme Temperature
How does nutritional deficit cause cell injury?
Nutritional deficits are caused by a lack of vitamins, iron, and caloric deficit. The lack of nutrients will cause the cells to weaken in function and dysregulate.
How does mechanical force cause cell injury?
Caused by an intense force that may inhibit perfusion and oxygenation to a body part and result in cell death. ex. fractures, bruising, impactful injury
Define Chemical Injury.
Caused by intoxication, drugs, biological agents, and toxicity. The toxic chemical disrupts the cell membrane and promotes apoptosis.
Define Radiation Injury.
Damage to the cells at a molecular level.
Two Types of Radiation Injury.
- Ionizing Radiation: can cause electron displacement, break cellular bonds and affect cellular replication
- Ultraviolet Radiation: Can cause DNA damage or cellular necrosis
Cellular Injury Pathophysiology.
- Inflammation: response to damaged tissue. (5 cardinal signs of inflammation; loss of function, heat, pain, redness, and swelling)
- Hypoxia: low oxygenation to the tissues
- Cellular Calcium Dysfunction
- Free Radicals
Pathway of Cellular Injury.
- Electrolyte Pump Dysfunction causes fluid shift resulting in low intracellular K+, high intracellular Na+ and Ca+. Increasing cellular edema and decreasing function
- Decreased function leads to cell organ damage! The lack of oxygen leads to hypoxia and anaerobic metabolism
- Anaerobic respiration leads to the accumulation of lactic acid and lowers the body’s pH. Causing acidosis
- The cell organ damage causes mitochondrial dysfunction which results in ATP depletion
- There will be an increase in the free radical formation and injury to cell structures
Pathological Sequelae of Cellular Injury.
Hypoxia-Ischemia-Necrosis
Define Cellular Calcium Dysfunction.
Caused by cellular hypoxia. Due to the increased concentration in the intracellular space, there will be compensatory stimulation by the parathyroid gland to release calcium from the bone. This will lead to hypercalcemia
Signs and Symptoms of Hypercalcemia.
- CNS- confusion and lethargy
- Muscle Weakness
- Constipation
- Bone weakness and joint pain
Define Free Radicals.
Molecules containing an ‘unpaired’ electron are unstable and reactive. They impact cell membranes, enzymes, DNA and cellular function
Define Oxidative Stress.
A normal cell that has been damaged due to free radicals. Cells with oxidative stress release cytokines and cause an inflammatory response!
- They also alter cellular electrolytes
- Alter intracellular fluid balance
- Increase cellular membrane permeability
- Alter depolarization and repolarization of the cell
- Decrease mitochondrial function
How do you treat oxidative Stress?
Antioxidants! Antioxidants can interrupt the propagation of free radicals by inhibiting the formation of free radicals and subsequently reducing oxidative stress!
Drugs that contribute to cellular injury.
- Tylenol: easily overdose and causes hepatic damage
- Aminoglycosides: narrow TI
- Arsenic: poisonous substance, causes cellular necrosis
- Carbon Monoxide
Treatment for Arsenic.
Chelation Therapy
Define Polonium. (What are it’s effects on cellular damage)
An unstable and radioactive chemical agent. Binds to cellular electrons and causes cellular structure destruction and necrosis. It will directly ionize the cells (pull part the cell structure) it will also ionize water molecules, causing free radicals
-Half-Life: 140 days
Define Sunburns.
damage caused by UV radiation
Epidermal and or dermal layers are affected and caused redness
Prevention for sunburns.
Prevention: Sunscreen
-They absorb UVR (benzophenone and oxybenzone)
Define a Burn.
A burn is an injury to the skin or other organic tissue primarily caused by heat or due to radiation, radioactivity, electricity, friction or contact with chemicals.
What are the 6 Types of Burns?
- Superficial
- Partial-Thickness
- Superficial Partial-thickness
- Deep
- Full-thickness
- 4th degree
Superficial Burns.
Damage to the epidermal layer!
- Does not blister
- painful, dry, red
- healing time: 6 days
Partial Thickness Burn.
Damage to the epidermis and dermis!
-Classified as superficial partial-thickness OR deep
Superficial Partial-Thickness
Type of Partial Thickness burn.
- Blisters in 24 hours
- painful, red, weeping
- healing time: 7 to 21 days
