Mechanism Of Injury Flashcards
(17 cards)
Mechanism of injury
Manner in which a physical injury has occurred
Describes how, with what force, and to which part of the body energy was applied
Why might a PHM pt not display classic clinical features associated with a disease/injury
Injury is evolving, so may not have reached presentation of fully established pathology
Factors influencing patterns of injury
Age
Socioeconomic status
Pre existing illness
Medications
Gender
PPE
How does gender effect traumatic injury
Tradiationally men>female
Now female>men due to more elderly trauma as women live longer than men
Penetrating trauma
Any mechanism where skin is breached by an object
Why may penetrating injuries appear smaller than they are
Tissue elasticity
Incised wound vs laceration
Incised wound - penetrating - cut made with a sharp object usually leaving clean sharp edges
Laceration - blunt - torn or irregular wound
2 types of injury caused by a ballistic injury
Crush injury
Laceration
Why is examinations of a ballistic injury patient difficult
Stretch and displacement
Pt usually examined in a different position from the one they were shot in, so when examined the bullet pathway is distorted
Effect of calibre on ballistic injury
Low calibre = low velocity
High calibre = high velocity
Crush injury
Direct continuous compression causes injury to soft tissue and Neurovasculature
How do crush injuries lead to Rhabdomyolysis
Increased permeability of cell membrane
Crush syndrome
Reperfusion injury after pressure removed
Potassium and myoglobin leaked from cells circulates to rest of body once pressure is removed causing rhabdouria and cardiac instability
Why might a crushed patient go into CA as soon as pressure removed
Potassium and myoglobin released from cells damaged by crush injury, when compression is removed these circulate to the heart causing cardiac instability and CA
Primary secondary tertiary and quaternary aspects of blast injury
Pri - blast wave injury, massive tissue distraction
Sec - shrapnel/debris
Tert - thrown by blast, building collapse
Quat - heat
Types of injury
Blunt
Penetrating
Ballistic
Crush
Burn
Blast
Acceleration and deceleration
Important aspects of history taking regarding MOI
Where was the pt
Where did energy force originate
Speed applied
How many patients
PPE / protection
RTC - restrained/unrestrained
Take photos
