Author: Gavin Lloyd, Richard Steyn / Editor: Jonathan M Jones / Reviewer: Stewart McMorran, Kathryn Blackmore, Sandi Angus / Codes: T1 / Published: 30/08/2023
This session is the second one in the series dealing with thoracic injuries.
For reference, the following injuries are covered in the two sessions, as follows:
Session 1
- Tension pneumothorax
- Open pneumothorax
- Massive haemothorax
- Cardiac tamponade
Session 2
- Flail chest
- Pulmonary contusion
- Myocardial contusion
- Aortic injury
- Diaphragmatic injury
- Oesophageal injury
- Tracheal/bronchial injury
- Rib fractures
- Sternal fractures
- Posterior sternoclavicular joint dislocation
After completing this session you will be able to:
- Judge the timing of investigative strategies for life-threatening thoracic injuries
- Select the most appropriate investigations in different trauma scenarios
- Evaluate treatment options and their timing for each chest injury found
- Manage chest injuries as part of the multiple injury scenario
References
- GA McLeod, FRCA , C Cumming, FRCA, Thoracic epidural anaesthesia and analgesia, Continuing Education in Anaesthesia Critical Care & Pain, Volume 4, Issue 1, February 2004, Pages 1619.
- Jackson L. Use of troponin for the diagnosis of myocardial contusion after blunt chest trauma. Best Bets, 2005.
- Kaye P, O’Sullivan . Myocardial contusion: emergency investigation and diagnosis. Emergency Medicine Journal 2002;19:8-10.
- Ekeh AP, Peterson W, Woods RJ, et al. Is chest x-ray an adequate screening tool for the diagnosis of blunt thoracic aortic injury? J Trauma. 2008 Nov;65(5):1088-92
- ATLS Subcommittee; American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma; International ATLS working group. Advanced trauma life support (ATLS ): the ninth edition. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2013 May;74(5):1363-6.
- Henry S. ATLS 10th edition offers new insights into managing trauma patients. Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons, 2018.
- Butler J. Antibiotics in patients with isolated chest trauma requiring chest drains.Best Bets, 2002.
- Macdonald PB, Lapointe P. Acromioclavicular and sternoclavicular joint injuries. Orthop Clin North Am. 2008 Oct;39(4):535-45, viii.
- Appelboam A, McLauchlan CA, Murdoch J, MacIntyre PA. Delivery of local anaesthetic via a sternal catheter to reduce the pain caused by sternal fractures: first case series using the new technique. Emerg Med J. 2006 Oct;23(10):791-3.