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Emergency Medicine | Physician Assistant (PA) School Study Aid
Types of Head Injuries
- Open Head Injury
- Linear Fracture
- Comminuted Fracture
- Depressed Fracture
- Open Fracture
- Basilar Skull Fracture
- Closed Head Injury
- Coup and Contrecoup
- Brain Contusion
- Concussion
2 mins
Traumatic Brain Injury Assessment
- Assessment
- Change in LOC
- Personality Changes
- Amnesia
- Increased Intracranial Pressure
- Diplopia
- Posturing
- Location of Injury
- Basilar Skull Fracture
- Halo or Ring Sign
- Considerations
- Intracranial Bleeding
2 mins
Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC)
- Pathophysiology
- Bleeding State
- Activation of Clotting Factors
- Deficiency of Clotting Factors
- Causes
- Sepsis
- Trauma
- Obstetric Complications
- Acute Pancreatitis
- Malignancy
- Nephrotic Syndrome
- Transfusion
2 mins
Amputation
- Indications
- Trauma
- Peripheral Vascular Disease
- Diabetes Complications
- Considerations
- Gentle Handling
- Surgical Tourniquet at Bedside
- Prevent Contractures
- Frequent Inspection
- Compression Bandages
- Phantom Pain
- Mirror Therapy
2 mins
Compartment Syndrome Assessment
- Mechanism
- Trauma
- Increased Pressure
- Compressed Nerves and Blood Vessels
- Assessment
- 1 or more of 6 P's
- Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI)
- Considerations
- May take Days to develop
- Early Detection
- Ischemia
- Damage often Irreversible
2 mins
Flail Chest
- Cause/Mechanism
- Trauma
- Assessment
- Shallow Respirations
- Chest Pain
- Paradoxical Chest Movement
- Interventions
- Mechanical Ventilation
- Analgesics
- Intercostal Nerve Blocks
- Considerations
- Surgical Rib Fixation
- Monitor Pulmonary Contusion
2 mins
Cauda Equina Syndrome
- Acute Loss of Lumbar Plexus Function
- Surgical Emergency
- Saddle Anesthesia
- Causes
- Inflammatory Disorders
- Spinal Stenosis
- Trauma
- Lesions
- Symptoms
- Urinary and Fecal Incontinence
- Sciatica
- Diagnosis
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- Clinical
1 min
Anterior Shoulder Dislocation
- Axillary Nerve Damage
- Axillary Artery
- Rotator Cuff Injury
- Supraspinatus Tendon
- Anterior Glenohumeral Ligament
- Anatomic Lesions
- Bankart's Lesion
- Hill-Sachs Lesion
1 min
Abusive Head Trauma (Shaken Baby Syndrome)
- Presentation
- Subdural Hemorrhage
- Retinal Hemorrhages
- Bruising and Fractures
- Diagnosis
- CT of Head
- Skeletal Survey
- Treatment
- Document Injuries
- Notify Child Protective Services
1 min
Airway, Breathing, Circulation (ABC's)
- Airway Assessment
- Changed Sound of Voice
- "See-saw" Respirations
- Stridor
- Breathing Assessment
- Normal Respiratory Rate: 12–20 Breaths/Min
- Use of Accessory Muscles in Respiration
- Cyanosis
- Circulation Assessment
- Color of Hands and Digits
- Normal Capillary Refill Time (CRT): 2 Seconds
- Decreased LOC
- Considerations
- Initial ‘Look, Listen and Feel” Assessment
- Emergency Treatment
- Prioritization in Exam Questions
5 mins
Epidural Hematoma
- Mechanism
- Middle Meningeal Artery Rupture
- Temporal Bone Fracture
- Hematoma Between Skull And Dura Mater
- Transtentorial Herniation
- Lucid Interval
- Imaging
- Lens-shaped on CT
- Does Not Cross Suture Lines
- Treatment
- Craniotomy
1 min
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
- Bleeding into Subarachnoid Space
- Mechanisms
- Trauma
- Aneurysm Rupture
- AVM Rupture
- Vasospasm causes Ischemia
- Signs & Symptoms
- "Worst Headache Of My Life"
- Diagnosis
- Noncontrast Head CT
- Lumbar Puncture
- Angiography
- Considerations
- Surgery
- Blood Pressure Control
- Intracranial Pressure Control
- Nimodipine for Vasospasm Prophylaxis
3 mins
Subdural Hematoma
- Mechanism
- Tear of Bridging Veins
- Slow Bleeding, Over Time
- Imaging
- Subdural Space
- Crescent-shaped on CT
- Crosses Suture Lines
- Midline Shift
- Causes
- Elderly
- Whiplash
- Abusive Head Trauma (Shaken Baby Syndrome)
2 mins
Cardiac Tamponade
- Mechanism
- Fluid in the Pericardial Sac
- Pericarditis
- Decreased Cardiac Output
- Signs/Symptoms
- Beck's Triad
- Hypotension
- Jugular Venous Distention (JVD)
- Distant Heart Sounds
- Pulsus Paradoxus
- Electrical Alternans
- Treatment
- Pericardiocentesis
1 min
Traumatic Aortic Rupture
- ETIOLOGY
- Blunt Thoracic Trauma
- Presentation
- Hemorrhagic Shock
- Diagnosis
- Chest X-Ray
- Ultrasound
- CT Angiography
- Management
- Fluid Resuscitation
- Blood Pressure Control
- Surgery
- Considerations
- Grave Prognosis
3 mins
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Rupture
- Clinical Features
- Acute Tearing Pain
- Pulsatile Abdominal Mass
- Grey Turner Sign
- Cullen Sign
- Hypovolemic Shock
- Diagnosis
- Diagnosis by Clinical Impression
- Treatment
- Emergent Surgical Intervention
- Considerations
- Poor Prognosis
3 mins
