TCAR
mortality rate off tension pneumothorax
100% of patients will die w/o intervention
how much blood can be in one hemothroax
500 - 3L
important thing to remember when you are evaluating a patient for pulmonary contusions
70% of pulmonary contusions aren't initial on the initial CXR
Q - in a pneumothorax, no ligaments attach the lung to the wall. so what holds it up?
A - a thin layer of pleural fluid & negative pressure. the liquid helps it stick like how a spilled liquid forms a seal between a glass and a smooth table top
parameters to assess ventilation
ETCO2, PaCO2, clinical assessment
% blood loss that is tolerable versus not tolerable
most people can tolerate a 10% blood volume loss but most can't tolerate 40%
what is the significance of posterior rib fractures
unusual direction of injury shorter stubby ribs good muscle profection **posterior rib fractures have a lot of force so need a high dose. ***PRF need a lot of force so high dose of energy. big red flag for t-spine injury
primary goal of GSW surgery
usually damage repair & not bullet removal -if superficial, it may migrate the surface with time
effect of tension pneumothorax on heart function
increases intrathoracic pressure decreases preload/CO increases afterload
how to convert a tension pneumothorax to a simple pneumo
"needle D"
needle "d" for tension pneumo
"pop the bubble" with needle/finger. to restore CO. life saving
definition of flail chest
+2 adjacent rib fracture free floating sternum
3 questions to ask in trauma
-what was the dose of energy? -where did it go? -what injuries are likely?
considered too much chest tube drainage
1-1.5L at initial palcement 50-200ml over 2-4hrs
problem of using CXR as a definitive clinical dx tool
CXR may lag behind clinical status *b/c 70% of pulmonary contusions aren't present on initial CXR. they "blossom" over time
IVF in hemorrhage
IVF is not a substitution for aggressive hemorrhage control and can be harmful
definitive bleeding management
OR
tension pnumothorax
air enters under pressure but doesn't exit at the same rate. = accumulation of air under pressure
intrathroacic pressure in simple pneumothorax
air that enters the pleural cavity leaves at the same rate lungs are deflated but no increase in pressure air in/out at the same rate
all contusions over time
all contusions "blossom" over time. the full extent of the injury is not initially apparent
best parameter of serial monitoring for pt's who have risk factors for pulmonary contusions
anticipate "blossoming" over time b/c 70% of pulmonary contusions aren't present on the initial CXR P:F ratio
what is a simple pneumothorax
any air that enters the pleural cavity can also leave at the same rate. lungs deflated but no increase in intrathroacic pressure. air in/out exits at the same rate. pt might be able to tolerate a simple pneumothraox causes a problem at the ventilation point at the tissue oxygen cascade
benefit of chest tube in trauam
autotransufsion
why is flail chest a problem
b/c breathing is a mechanical process
what happens to the lungs in pulmonary contusions
big boggy bruise on the lungs diffusion problems when it becomes contused & edematous, it becomes difficult for oxygen to move from the alveoli into the capillaries
how to tell if something is blood or air on a CXR
blood = white black = air
what type of injuries occur when the lungs are subjected to force?
bruise = contusion tear = lacerations pop = punctures inhalation injury
c spine versus t spine fractures
c-spine doesn't need a big energy blow. just some shaking around t-spine needs a great strong direct blow (not just a shock_
aka diameter of a bullet
caliber
2 q's to ask in GSW
caliber type of gun # of entrance/exit wounds high/low velocity
risk of rib fractures
can puncture liver, spleen,, diaphragm pop lungs
coagulopathy control in hemorrhage
can't clot if we only give RBC/crystallids needs plasma, cry, plt
what attaches the ribs to the sternum
cartliage
aka chest tube
chest thoacotomy
keeps blood in blood products from clotting
citrate
added to blood products that may cause low Ca
citrate.
what should you monitor when a pt has trauma to the throax
closely monitor for pulmonary contustiobs = 70% not present on the initial CXR and "blossom" over time -monitor for progress e deterioration in hours/days post injury *might look ok in ER
assessment of the site of a chest tube site
consider how it might be a potential site of an open pneumo
purpose of "needle d"
convert tension pneumo to a simple pneumo. then put in chest tube
how to tell a pt has a pneumonia from a CXR
dark spot that is not equal to the opposite side
what is the caliber of a bullet?
diameter
where on the tissue oxygenation cascade do pulmonary contusions cause their problems
diffusion
+2 adjacent rib fractures
flail chest
free floating sternum
flail chest
field care for bleeding management
helping blood loss > replacing fludis
cause of 30 - 40% of all patients who die of trauma
hemorrhage
leading cause of early mortality in trauma
hemorrhage
hemothorax causes problems at what point of the tissue oxygen cascade
hgb availability ventilation issue b/c lung collapses CO problem if enough blood is lost small venin/arteries below each fib so a broken rib could cause hemothraox bleeding from intercostal vessels should not be extensive and taper off quickly so continuous bleeding is likely a different vessel
causes of pulmonary contusions
high speed blunt or penetrating injury
too much black on CXR
hyperlucency
paradoxical chest movements
in flail chest
why is it important to keep a hemorrhage pt warm
keep a trauma pt warm helps stop bleeding b/c you can't clot well if cold
treatment for rib fractures
largely supportive nursing care like pulmonary toilet
when do you get tracheal deviation
late sign of tension pneumothrax
how high does the diaphragm rise on inspiration
level of 4th ICS
example of tension pneumothorax
like using a bicycle pump to put more and more air into the lungs over time. no escape *pressure means no lung function on the side of the injury and compromises function on the un injured heart and great vessel compression (decreases preload/CO increases afterload
consider if a pt has a lower rib fracture
liver & spleen injury acts like BBQ/marshmellow skewers
late s/s of tension pneumothrax
low bp JVD tracheal deviation
what happens in penumothorax
lungs are collapsed/deflated aire enters space between the visceral & parietal
intervention if hemothorax
needs CT later will need intrapleura tPA or VATS
intervention if you suspect tension pneumothrax
needs FAST do immediate needle D w/o imaging
normal pressure in the vena cavas
normally is low similar to the central venous pressure which is similar to right atrial pressure (2-8mm hg) so very little increase in pressure to impede venous return to the heart
when isn't JVD & tracheal deviation obvious in tension pneumothroax
not obvious if obese, low bp, cervical collar also - it is a super late s/s
open pneumothorax
object penetrates or a rib pokes out
identify a previous rib fracture on CXR
once healed, rib fractures form bony callouses and become more visible on CXR
pleuritic chest pain
pain with breathing
s/s of flail chest
paradoxical chest wall movement
chest pain w/breathign
pleuritic
assessment of t. pneumothraox
pleuritic chest pain (hurts to breathe) respiratory distress increased HR hyppoxemia agitation decreased LS chest dyspmetry hyperresonance
considerations of chest trauma
pneumonia, great vessel trauma, pressure so low CO
what can rapidly convert a simple pneumothorax to a tension pneumothraox
positive pressure can rapidly convert a simple pneumothorax to a tension pneumothorax (BVM or m. ventilation) or if a chest tube is kinked/clamped/occluded
what happens to projectiles when they enter the body
projectiles don't travel in a straight line consider temporary cavity wound
bruise on the lungs
pulmonary contusion
tear in lung tissue
pulmonary laceration
ribs that are the most frequently broken
ribs 4-9 b/c long, thin, and poorly protecte it is harder to break a short pencil (T1-2) and easier to break a longer one *ask how many and where to understand the force involved
problem of pulmonary lacerations
risk of massive hemothoax b/c those vessels are very vascular
what breaks thoracic bones
significant force -1-2nd ribs, posterior ribs, sternum, scapulae, T2-10 gives us info about the force aka "dose" of energy received consider injury to internal structures b/c force
CXR and rib fractures
simple rib fractures are difficult to see on CXR and can be commonly missed (1/2 of all rib fractures aren't identified at the POI CXR)
aka brestbone
sternum
priority in bleeding episodes
stop bleeding CABC
what should you consider about tissue a projectile enounters
temporary cavitation
why is tension pneumothorax more life threatening than simple pneumothorax
tension pneuma is more life threatening than simple b/c of the pressure it puts on the great vessels so decreased CO
important thing to remember about retained projectiles
they may migrate over time. bullett migration might explain unexplained clinical findings (VP Cheney accidentally shot his friend while hunting in 2006. ICU and did great. moved to an inpatient unit. had a silent MI bc a shot gun pellets migrated into a canary artery causing an infract. so had a MI but fibrinolytic not the answer in this case b/c it was a "projectile embolus"
purpose of using a chest tube in simple pneumothorax
to allow for negative pressure to reestablish .
indication of c-spine injury
to injure c-spine, you don't need a big energy blow. all it takes is shaking around.
where is the problem in the tissue oxygenation cascade in simple pneumothroax
ventilation
where on the tissue oxygenation cascade is thoracic cage fractures a problem
ventilation
what part on the tissue oxygenation cascade is affected by tension pneumothorax
ventilation r/t collapsed lung CO b/c pressure
VATS
video-assisted thoracic surgery
two layers of the lungs
visceral & parietal
purpose of citrate in blood products
w/o citrate, blood will clot
1st question to ask in any traumatic injury?
what was the dose of energy involved? (was it high or low?)
when is a hospitalized chest patient the most likely to develop tension pneumothrax
when we initiate positive pressure ventilation
intervention for an ope. pneumothroax
xeroform, gasoline bandage, chest seal.