PRE-ASSIGNMENT - ETD POSTING
1. Definition of Polytrauma
● Polytrauma occurs when someone/person experiences injuries to multiple body part
and organ systems for example when a person has a serious brain or head injury as
well as a serious burn injury on their head/body.
2. Life threatening Conditions –
ATOMIC A: airway obstruction
● The airway can become narrowed or blocked due to many causes, including: Allergic
reactions in which the trachea or throat swell closed, including allergic reactions to a
bee sting, peanuts and tree nuts, antibiotics
● also known as foreign body airway obstruction, happens when a small item gets
stuck in a person's throat or upper airway and makes it hard for the person to
breathe.
-
T: tension pneumothorax
● severe condition that results when air is trapped in the pleural space under positive pressure
● air leaks outside of the lung into the pleural cavity
-
, PRE-ASSIGNMENT - ETD POSTING
O: open pneumothorax
● occurs when air accumulates between the chest wall and the lung as the result of an
open chest wound or other physical defect.
-
M: massive haemothorax
● A collapsed lung occurs when air escapes from the lung.
-
, PRE-ASSIGNMENT - ETD POSTING
I: Flail chest
● Flail chest is a traumatic condition of the thorax. It may occur when 3 or more ribs
are broken in at least 2 places. It is considered a clinical diagnosis as everybody with
this fracture pattern does not develop a flail chest. A flail chest can create a
significant disturbance to respiratory physiology.
-
C: cardiac tamponade
● pressure on the heart that occurs when blood or fluid builds up in the space
between the heart muscle and the outer covering sac (pericardium) of the heart.
-
1. Definition of Polytrauma
● Polytrauma occurs when someone/person experiences injuries to multiple body part
and organ systems for example when a person has a serious brain or head injury as
well as a serious burn injury on their head/body.
2. Life threatening Conditions –
ATOMIC A: airway obstruction
● The airway can become narrowed or blocked due to many causes, including: Allergic
reactions in which the trachea or throat swell closed, including allergic reactions to a
bee sting, peanuts and tree nuts, antibiotics
● also known as foreign body airway obstruction, happens when a small item gets
stuck in a person's throat or upper airway and makes it hard for the person to
breathe.
-
T: tension pneumothorax
● severe condition that results when air is trapped in the pleural space under positive pressure
● air leaks outside of the lung into the pleural cavity
-
, PRE-ASSIGNMENT - ETD POSTING
O: open pneumothorax
● occurs when air accumulates between the chest wall and the lung as the result of an
open chest wound or other physical defect.
-
M: massive haemothorax
● A collapsed lung occurs when air escapes from the lung.
-
, PRE-ASSIGNMENT - ETD POSTING
I: Flail chest
● Flail chest is a traumatic condition of the thorax. It may occur when 3 or more ribs
are broken in at least 2 places. It is considered a clinical diagnosis as everybody with
this fracture pattern does not develop a flail chest. A flail chest can create a
significant disturbance to respiratory physiology.
-
C: cardiac tamponade
● pressure on the heart that occurs when blood or fluid builds up in the space
between the heart muscle and the outer covering sac (pericardium) of the heart.
-
