Chest Trauma - 0
Chest Trauma - 0
Chest Trauma - 0
SPECIFIC INJURIES
Rib Fracture
Most common chest wall injury from
direct trauma
More common in adults than children
Especially common in elderly
Ribs form rings
Possibility of break in two places
Most commonly 5th - 9th ribs
Poor protection
Rib Fracture
Fractures of 1st and 2nd second require
high force
Frequently have injury to aorta or bronchi
Occur in 90% of patients with tracheo-
bronchial rupture
May injure subclavian artery/vein
May result in pneumothorax
30% will die
Rib Fracture
Fractures of 10 to 12th ribs can cause
damage to underlying abdominal solid
organs:
Liver
Spleen
Kidneys
Rib Fracture
Assessment Findings
Localized pain, tenderness
Increases on palpation or when patient:
Coughs
Moves
Breathes deeply
“Splinted” Respirations
Instability in chest wall, Crepitus
Deformity and discoloration
Associated pneumo or hemothorax
Rib Fracture
Management
High concentration O2
Positive pressure ventilation as needed
Encourage pt to breath deeply
Helps prevent atelectasis
Analgesics for isolated trauma
Rib Fracture
Management
Monitor elderly and COPD patients closely
Broken ribs can cause decompensation
Patients will fail to breathe deeply and cough,
resulting in poor clearance of secretions
Usually Non-Emergent Transport
Sternal Fracture
Uncommon, 5-8% in blunt chest trauma
Large traumatic force
Direct blow to front of chest by
Deceleration
steering wheel
dashboard
Other object
Sternal Fracture
25 - 45% mortality due to associated trauma:
Disruption of thoracic aorta
Diaphragm rupture
Flail chest
Myocardial trauma
Exhale
Open Pneumothorax
Heart is being
compressed
Tension Pneumothorax
Assessment Findings - Most Likely
Severe dyspnea ⇒ extreme resp distress
Restlessness, anxiety, agitation
Decreased/absent breath sounds
Worsening or Severe Shock / Cardiovascular
collapse
Tachycardia
Weak pulse
Hypotension
Narrow pulse pressure
Tension Pneumothorax
Assessment Findings - Less Likely
Jugular Vein Distension
absent if also hypovolemic
Hyperresonance to percussion
Subcutaneous emphysema
Tracheal shift away from injured side (late)
Cyanosis (late)
Tension Pneumothorax
Management
Recognize & Manage early
Establish airway
High concentration O2
Positive pressure ventilations w/BVM prn
Needle thoracostomy
IV of LR/NS
Monitor ECG
Emergent Transport
Consider need to intubate
Trauma Center preferred
Tension Pneumothorax
Management
Needle Thoracostomy Review
Decompress with 14g (lg bore), 2-inch needle
Midclavicular line: 2nd intercostal space
Midaxillary line: 4-5th intercostal space
Go over superior margin of rib to avoid blood
vessels
Be careful not to kink or bend needle or catheter
If available, attach a one-way valve
Hemothorax
Pathophysiology
Blood in the pleural space
Most common result of major trauma to the
chest wall
Present in 70 - 80% of penetrating and
major non-penetrating trauma cases
Associated with pneumothorax
Rib fractures are frequent cause
Hemothorax
Pathophysiology
Each can hold up to 3000 cc of blood
Life-threatening often requiring chest tube
and/or surgery
If assoc. with great vessel or cardiac injury
50% die immediately
25% live five to ten minutes
25% may live 30 minutes or longer
Blood loss results in
Hypovolemia
Decreased ventilation of affected lung
Hemothorax
Pathophysiology
Accumulation of blood in pleural space
penetrating or blunt lung injury
chest wall vessels
intercostal vessels
myocardium
Massive hemothorax indicates great vessel or
cardiac injury
Intercostal artery can bleed 50 cc/min
Results in collapse of lung
Hemothorax
Pathophysiology
Accumulated blood can eventually produce a
tension hemothorax
Shifting the mediastinum producing
– ventilatory impairment
– cardiovascular collapse
Hemothorax
Assessment Findings
Tachypnea or respiratory distress
Shock
Rapid, weak pulse
Hypotension, narrow pulse pressure
Restlessness, anxiety
Cool, pale, clammy skin
Thirst
Pleuritic chest pain
Decreased lung sounds
Collapsed neck veins
Dullness on percussion
Hemothorax
Management
Establish airway
High concentration O2
Assist Ventilations w/BVM prn
+ MAST in profound hypotension
Needle thoracostomy if tension & unable to
differentiate from Tension Pneumothorax
IVs x 2 with LR/NS
Monitor ECG
Emergent transport to Trauma Center
Pulmonary Contusion
Pathophysiology
Blunt trauma to the chest
Rapid deceleration forces cause lung to strike chest
wall
high energy shock wave from explosion
high velocity missile wound
low velocity as with ice pick
Most common injury from blunt thoracic
trauma
30-75% of blunt trauma
mortality 14-20%
Pulmonary Contusion
Pathophysiology
Rib Fx in many but not all cases
Alveolar rupture with hemorrhage and
edema
increased capillary membrane permeability
Large vascular shunts develop
– Gas exchange disturbances
– Hypoxemia
– Hypercarbia
Pulmonary Contusion
Assessment Findings
Tachypnea or respiratory distress
Tachycardia
Evidence of blunt chest trauma
Cough and/or Hemoptysis
Apprehension
Cyanosis
Pulmonary Contusion
Management
Supportive therapy
Early use of positive pressure ventilation
reduces ventilator therapy duration
Avoid aggressive crystalloid infusion
Severe cases may require ventilator therapy
Emergent Transport
Trauma Center
Cardiovascular Trauma
Neck
Shoulders