Trauma and Emergency Orthopaedics Flashcards Preview

LOCOMOTOR 2 > Trauma and Emergency Orthopaedics > Flashcards

Flashcards in Trauma and Emergency Orthopaedics Deck (17)
Loading flashcards...
1
Q

What are the six elements to advanced trauma life support?

A
  • Airway & C-spine Control
  • Breathing & Ventilation
  • Circulation & Haemorrhage Control
  • Disability & AVPU (alert, voice, pain, unresponsive)
  • Exposure & Environment Control
2
Q

What are the 6 P’s of a musculoskeletal assessment?

A

Pain, pulse, pallor, polar, paralysis, paraesthesia

3
Q

What is the possible quantity of blood loss from a pelvic fracture in the first two hours?

A

2 litres

4
Q

Where does bleeding from a pelvic fracture come from?

A

o Bleeding is mostly from the posterior pelvic venous plexus and bleeding from the cancellous bone surfaces and less than 10% of the bleed is arterial. This is because the pre-sacral venous plexus overlies the sacroiliac joint, and therefore a fracture disrupts the SI joint and leads to the tearing of veins and therefore bleeding.

5
Q

What quantity of blood may be lost from a femur, tibia or fibular fracture in the first two hours?

A

~500ml

6
Q

Define neurapraxia

A

Temporary, non-severe damage to a nerve that will heal

7
Q

Define axonotmesis

A

Where axons and their myelin sheath are damaged, but Schwann cells, the endoneurium, perineurium and epineurium remain intact

8
Q

Define neurotmesis

A

This is the most serious nerve injury in the scheme. In this type of injury, both the nerve and the nerve sheath are disrupted.

9
Q

What are the absolute indications for fracture operations?

A
o	Displaced intra-articular fractures
o	Open fractures
o	Fractures with vascular injury or compartment syndrome
o	Pathological fractures 
o	Non-union fractures
10
Q

Define ‘clinical union’ with regard to fracture healing

A

Where the bone moves as one but can be tender when stressed

11
Q

Define ‘radiological union’ with regard to fracture healing

A

At least 3 out of 4 cortices are healed on two views, with bridging callus formation and the facture line often still present but evidence of bone remodelling

12
Q

What is the approximate fracture healing time for adults?

A

Upper limb = 6-8 weeks

Lower limb = 12-16 weeks

13
Q

What is the approximate fracture healing time for children?

A

Upper limb = 3-4 weeks

Lower limb = 6-8 weeks

14
Q

What are the potential early complications from fracture surgery?

A

Other injuries, PE, infection, plaster sores, infection, neurovascular injury, compartment syndrome

15
Q

What are the potential late complications from fracture surgery?

A

Chest infection, UTI, bed sores, non-union, mal-union, AVN, tendon rupture, nerve compression, Volkmann contracture

16
Q

What are the signs of a fat embolism?

A

ABG shows mild hypoxemia, and the chest X-ray is normal, with multiple hyperintense punctuate lesions throughout the cerebral white matter. With widespread petechiae over the chest and arms developing later

17
Q

What is the treatment for a fat embolism?

A

Wait until the body dissolves it by providing supportive management, but the clot itself cannot be externally broken down