Transcript Throat and Thorax Injuries

Throat and Thorax Injuries
Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Objectives
• Understand the basic anatomy of the throat
and thorax.
• Understand how to prevent injuries of the
throat and thorax.
• Know the care necessary to treat an injury
within the throat or thorax.
• Understand the implications of illness or
injury related to a specific organ in the thorax.
Throat Anatomy
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Carotid artery
Jugular vein
Larynx
Trachea
Esophagus
Throat Anatomy
• Esophagus
– Passageway for food
– In front of cervical
vertebrae, behind
trachea and larynx
• Trachea
– Made up of circular rings
of cartilage
– Main passageway for air
to get to and from lungs
• Larynx
– Modified portion of
upper trachea, contains
vocal cords
Throat Anatomy
• Carotid artery
– One on each side of
the trachea
– Carries oxygenated
blood to the brain
• Jugular vein
– One on each side of
the trachea
– Carries
unoxygenated blood
away from the brain
• Deadly if either are
severed
Thorax Anatomy
• Thoracic Vertebrae
• 12 Ribs on each
side (2 floating)
• Sternum
– These bones
function to protect
the organs
Thoracic organs
• Heart
• Lungs
• Diaphragm
Thorax Anatomy
• Heart
– Size of your
fist
– Pumps blood
to all parts of
body
– Blood carries
nutrients and
oxygen to
cells and
carbon
dioxide and
waste away
from cells
Heart
• Chambers
• Left and right
atrium
• Left and right
ventricle
– Thicker due
to function of
pumping
blood
throughout
the body
Heart
• Function-pumps
blood to lungs and
entire body
• Path
– Right atrium(RA) fills
with deoxygenated
blood from body
– Goes to right
ventricle (RV) and
out to lungs to
receive oxygen
Heart
• Path (continued)
– Left atrium (LA) receives
oxygenated blood from
the lungs
– Goes to left ventricle
(LV)…largest chamber
of the heart and sends it
to the rest of the body
through the aorta to
other major arteries
– Once oxygen is used,
blood returns to heart
through veins
Lungs
• Function: to
exchange oxygen
and carbon
dioxide and
dissipate body
heat
Lungs
• Bronchi
– Branches of the
trachea
• Bronchioles
– Divisions of the
bronchi
• Alveoli
– Ends of the
bronchioles where
oxygen-carbon
dioxide exchange
occurs
Diaphragm
• Separates thorax
and abdominal
cavities
• Contracts and pulls
down to assist
inhalation and
moves up to push
air out
Injury Prevention
• Protective
equipment
• Rules
• Always buy
best protective
equipment
Treating throat injuries and
conditions
• Most injuries to
throat are
contusions caused
by a blow from
sticks, feet, or arms
• Treat with ice
• Most response to
throat injury is
coughing, spitting,
difficulty breathing,
and pain
Throat lacerations
• Superficial
lacerations can be
controlled with direct
pressure
• Deep are medical
emergencies
– Apply direct
pressure, treat for
shock
– Must respond quickly
Cartilage fracture
• Caused by severe blow to throat
• Can be life threatening
• Causes difficulty breathing, gasping, spitting
blood, pain, difficulty talking, appear anxious
• May turn blue (lack of oxygen)
• Treat with extreme care due to possible
cervical spine injury
• Treat as medical emergency (call 911) and
backboard to transport
• Ice area, keep athlete calm, keep airway free
of blood
Pneumothorax
• Air in the pleural cavity
(collapsed lung)
• Can occur with or
without trauma
• Traumatic caused by
punctured lung (rib
fracture, gunshot,
severe laceration)
• Non-traumatic caused
by weakness of lung
tissue
Pneumothorax
• When occurs, injured
lung moves toward
center of chest, puts
pressure on heart and
other organs
• Causes difficulty
breathing and athlete
will gasp for air
• Inhaled air escapes
through hole and into
chest cavity which
causes further
compression on
organs
Spontaneous pneumothorax
• Can happen in healthy athlete
• Caused by weakness in lung tissue
• Difficulty breathing, chest pain, possible
blue skin (cyanotic)
• Place athlete on ground with injured
lung closest to ground, treat for shock
and treat as medical emergency (911)
• Usually heals itself without surgery
Tension Pneumothorax
• Air leaking out forces lung into other
lung and heart
• Tracheal deviation possible causing
more respiratory distress
• Death can occur if not treated rapidly
• If there is an external puncture would,
partially cover it leaving one side
unsealed to prevent tension from getting
worse
Tension Pneumothorax
• Sign/symptoms
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Respiratory distress
Absent breath sounds on injured side
Anxiety
Bluish skin color
Pulse rapid and weak
Blood pressure will drop
• Injury requires physician to insert a chest
tube and possible surgical intervention
Flail chest
• Multiple ribs fractured
in 2 or more places
• Occurs from direct
impact
• Entire fractured
portion moves in and
out when athlete
breathes, but opposite
normal
• Very painful, possible
other internal injuries
Flail chest
• Treatment- decrease movement of
fracture
• Treat athlete for shock
• Call 911 immediately
Pulmonary contusions
• Bruised lung
• Direct impact
(usually blunt
object)
• Causes bleeding
and swelling
• Difficulty breathing
and bluish skin color
• Call 911, ice if
athlete allows
Sucking chest wounds
• Puncture of chest wall, air from outside is
drawn noisily into cavity
• Lung is not punctured
• Air coming in causes pressure on lungs
causing distress
• Difficulty breathing, circulation impairment
(cyanotic)
• Seal wound with cellophane or plastic bag
• Call EMS immediately
Hyperventilation
• Quick breathing >24 breaths per min
• Causes abnormal loss of carbon dioxide from the blood
• Caused by becoming overly excited, anxiety, or
diabetes
• Can become dizzy, experience numbness in
extremities, and/or loss of consciousness
• Treat by encouraging athlete to breath slowly, calming
the athlete