How would you Recognise a penetrating chest injury?
Signs & Symptoms:
- Difficulty in breathing.
- Uneven-unusual chest movement.
- Panic and anxiety.
- Pain at site of injury.
- Blueness around the lips.
- Pain.
- Rapid heart beat.
- Rapid breathing.
What type of injury should you expect with penetrating trauma to the chest?
Open pneumothorax is a sucking chest wall wound from penetrating injury. This is typically caused by a defect in the chest wall greater than 2/3 diameter of the trachea. In this case, air moves preferentially through chest-wall defect resulting in ineffective ventilation & hypoxia.
What happens when there is penetrating injury to the chest?
In most cases, stabbing object penetrate through the chest wall hurting intercostal blood vessels and with its tip visceral pleura, contributing developing of pneumothorax or hematopneumothorax (7). Clinical manifestation of stabbing wound is pain at the point of stabbing, irritation cough and short breath.
What injury will result from blunt trauma to the chest wall?
The most common injury in blunt thoracic trauma is chest wall injury, which also includes rib fractures. When bone fractures are mentioned, not only rib fractures but also clavicle and sternum fractures should be considered.
How do you treat a penetrating chest wound?
Primary treatment of chest-wall injuries involves a combination of pain control, aggressive pulmonary and physical therapy, selective use of intubation and ventilation, and close observation for respiratory decompensation.
What is a penetrating trauma?
Penetrating trauma is an injury caused by a foreign object piercing the skin, which damages the underlying tissues and results in an open wound. The most common causes of such trauma are gunshots, explosive devices, and stab wounds.
What doctor treats chest injuries?
Thoracic surgeons treat a variety of diseases and conditions that require chest surgery, including heart disease, lung and esophagus cancer, chest trauma, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Thoracic surgeons are also called cardiothoracic surgeons and cardiac surgeons to emphasize heart surgery.
What are the five complications of chest injury?
Although there are a wide range of complications following thoracic trauma, respiratory failure, pneumonia, and pleural sepsis are the most common potentially preventable problems. Respiratory failure and pneumonia are directly related to the severity of the injury and the age and condition of the patient.
What is an example of a penetrating injury?
When should you see a thoracic surgeon?
You or a loved one might need thoracic surgery for a variety of reasons: Some people have injuries or accidents that damage the chest area. Some have a growth or disease such as cancer. Others are born with conditions that require surgery to improve how their body works or quality of life.