Up to sixty percent of all trauma patients sustain some type of thoracic injury, and mortality from chest injury after trauma is second only to traumatic brain injury. This session identifies potentially life-threatening injury to the thoracic cavity, immediate bedside assessments, and critical first-line interventions for polytrauma patients experiencing injury to the heart and/or chest. [60 or 75 minutes]
Key Content
- Brief Review: Anatomy and Physiology of Respiratory System
- Thoracic Cavity Pressures: Pleural, Intrapleural, Transpulmonary
- Specific Thoracic Trauma Injuries: Tracheobronchial Tree Injury, Blunt Aortic Injury, Sternal Fracture, Flail Chest, Pulmonary and Myocardial Contusions, Diaphragmatic Injury, Fractured Ribs and Role of Surgical Fixation, Pneumothoraces, Massive Hemothorax, Traumatic Cardiac Arrest (immediate actions, survivorship)
- Role of Non-Invasive and Invasive Mechanical Ventilation
- Advanced Trauma Life Support (2015) Clinical Practice Changes
- Interactive Case Studies