Exam 3 Flashcards
(188 cards)
Treatment for “sucking chest wound”
Covering the wound with occlusive dressing that is secured on three sides.
Open Pneumothorax
Air enters the pleural space through an opening in the chest wall.
Closed Pneumothorax
No associated external wound
Causes of closed pneumothorax
Rupture of small blebs on visceral pleura, injury to lungs from broken ribs, excessive pressure during ventilation, esophageal tear, laceration or puncture of lungs during subclavian catheter insertion
What do you do if the object that causes an open chest wound is still present?
Do not remove it until a physician is present. Stabilize the impaled object with a bulky dressing.
Tension Pneumothorax
A pneumothorax with rapid accumulation of air in the pleural space that can cause high intrapleural pressures
Results of a tension pneumothorax
Compression of the lung on the affected side and pressure on the heart and great vessels pushing them away from the affected side. As pressures increases, venous return is decreased and cardiac output falls.
Causes of tension pneumothorax
Open or closed pneumothorax; mechanical ventilation, resuscitative measures, chest tubes that are clamped or blocked,
Symptoms of a tension pneumthorax
dyspnea, chest pain radiating to the shoulder, tracheal deviation, decreased or absent breath sounds on the affected side, neck vein distention, and cyanosis.
Hemothorax
Accumulation of blood in the pleural space from an intecostal blood vessel, the internal mammary arter, lung, heart or great vessel.
Clyothorax
presence of lymphatic fluid in the pleural space.
Causes of clyothorax
The thoracic duct is disrupted traumatically or from malignancy and fills the pleural space.
Conservative treatment of clyothorax
chest drainage, bowel rest and paraenteral nutrition. Octreotide, surgery and pleurodesis.
Clinical manifestations of pneumothorax
Small mind tachycardia and dyspnea. If it occurs largely, respiratory distress may be present including shallow, rapid respirations, dyspnea, air hunger, oxygen desat, chest pain, cough with or without hemoptysis, no breath sounds. C-xray shows presence of air or fluid in pleural space and reduction of lung volume.
Management of tension pneumothorax
EMERGENCY!! Insert a arge bore needle into the anterior chest wall at the fourth or fifth intercostal space to release the trapped air. A chest tube is then inserted and connected to water-seal drainage.
Treatment for pneumothorax
Aspirate air/fluid with a large bore needle. (Thoracentesis). Insert a chest tube and attach a water-seal drainage. Repeated spontaneous may be surgically treated with pleurectomy, stapling, and pleurodesis.
Chest tubes used to do what?
Chest Tubes are inserted into the pleural space to remove air and fluid and to allow the lung to reexpand.
Chest Tube Insertion
Positioned seated on the edge of the bed with arms supported on a bedside table or supine with midaxillary area of the affected side exposed.
Chest x-ray is available to confirm the affected side.
Area is cleansed with an antiseptic solution.
Chest wall prepared with a local anesthetic and a small incision is made over a rib. The chest tube is advanced up and over the top of the rib to avoid intercostals nerves and blood vessels. For removal of air, a smaller tube (14F to 22F) is used and is directed anteriorly and superiorly as air rises. For removal of fluid, a larger tube (28F to 40F) is used and directed posteriorly and inferiorly. The chest tube is connected to a pleural drainage system. The incision is closed with sutures and the chest tube is secured. The wound is covered with a dressing. Some physicians prefer to seal the wound with petroleum gauze. Monitor patient for comfort levels, as insertion and presence of chest tube is painful.
Chest tube for air removal
A smaller tube (14F to 22F) is used and is directed anteriorly and superiorly as air rises
Chest tube for fluid removal
A larger tube (28F to 40F) is used and directed posteriorly and inferiorly
Intervention for disconnected chest tube
Reestablishment of the water seal system immediately and attachment of a new drainage system as soon as possible. Some hospitals immerse the tube in sterile water until system can be reestablished.
Chest tube removal procedure
Removed 24 hrs after being on gravity drainage and when the lungs are reexpanded and fluid drainage has ceased. Gather supplies and petroleum jelly dressing. Explain procedure, give pain meds 15 min before, cut suture, pt hold breath or bear down, remove tube, cover with dressing. Do CXR to evaluate for reaccumulation or pneumothorax.
Insufficient CO2 removal results in what
Hypercapnia
hypoxemia
a decrease in arterial O2 (PaO2) and saturation. (SaO2)