What Is Physical Trauma?

Trauma is the destruction of human tissues or organs by mechanical factors. Any external factors added to the human body include structural or functional damage caused by high temperature, cold, current, radiation, acids, alkalis, poisonous gases, poisonous insects, mosquito bites, etc. Trauma is extremely common. It can happen not only in times of war, but also in times of peace. Including: cuts, punctures, contusions, sprains. Due to the rapid development of industry, agriculture, transportation and sports, the trauma caused by various accidents is increasing. Not only do traumas have a high incidence, they also vary widely in severity. The injuries can be severe and complex, and even endanger the lives of the wounded. Severe trauma can cause systemic reactions, with local manifestations of pain, swelling, and tenderness in the wound area; deformities and dysfunction during fracture and dislocation. Severe trauma may also include fatal bleeding, shock, suffocation, and disturbance of consciousness. In the emergency treatment, shock should be prevented first, the airway should be kept open, the wound should be bandaged to stop bleeding, and the injured limb should be fixed, and the wounded should be safely, smoothly, and quickly transferred to the hospital for further treatment. For patients with a large amount of bleeding, hemostasis should be adopted first. For small wounds such as cuts and stab wounds, if a small amount of blood can be squeezed out, bacteria and dirt can be discharged; the wounds should be washed with clean water. The surface must be covered with a clean cloth, not directly covered with cotton or toilet paper.

Basic Information

English name

trauma

Visiting department

Acute rash

Common causes

Damage to human tissues or organs caused by external factors, such as machinery, high temperature, cold, current, radiation, acid, alkali, poison gas, poisonous insects, etc.

Common symptoms

Local manifestations are pain, swelling, tenderness in the injured area; deformity and dysfunction during fracture and dislocation; severe trauma may include major bleeding, shock, asphyxia and disturbance of consciousness

Causes of trauma and common diseases

Traffic injury

Traffic injuries dominate the trauma. Traffic injuries in modern trauma are characterized by high-energy trauma (traffic injuries that occur at high speeds), and often cause serious injuries such as multiple injuries, multiple fractures, spinal and spinal cord injuries, organ injuries, and open injuries.

Fall injury

With the increase of high-rise buildings, the proportion of fall injuries has gradually increased. Fall injuries are caused by direct falls and transmission of force on the ground, which are mainly caused by spinal and spinal cord injuries, pelvic fractures, and multiple fractures, craniocerebral injury, and liver and spleen rupture.

3. mechanical injury

Mechanical injuries are mainly caused by sprains and crush injuries, which often lead to open injuries or severed limbs, broken fingers, and tissue contusion of blood vessels, nerves, tendons and fractures.

4. Sharp injuries

Deep wounds are prone to deep tissue damage. Thoracic and abdominal sharp injury can cause visceral or large blood vessel damage, and more bleeding.

5. Fall injury

It is common in the elderly and causes compression fractures of the forearm, pelvis, spine, and hip fractures. Fractures can also result from falls in young adults.

6. Firearm injury

Generally, the wound is small, but the wound is deep. It often damages deep tissues and organs. It can also show penetrating injuries, small entrance injuries, and severe exit injuries.

Differential diagnosis of trauma

Closed trauma

Presented as pain, swelling, congestion and hematoma in the injured area. Severe pain can cause syncope or shock; if deep tissues or organs of the injured area are damaged at the same time, there may be internal bleeding and a series of shock symptoms, such as cold limbs, shortness of breath, shallow, unconsciousness, fast pulse, low blood pressure, urine Volume reduction, etc. If there is a fracture or dislocation, deformity and dysfunction appear at the injured site.

2. Open Trauma

Localized wounds are the most prominent clinical manifestations. There are different degrees of external bleeding in the wound; if the wound is deep and the internal organs or deep blood vessels are open, internal bleeding may occur. Shock is often the main clinical manifestation of severe open trauma. The wounded often have fever (about 38 ° C), which is caused by local hemorrhage or absorption of decomposition products of necrotic tissue. Anemia or oliguria after shock correction may be acute renal failure. Acute respiratory distress syndrome is sometimes seen: although there is no chest trauma, there is progressive dyspnea and rapid breathing, more than 40 times per minute.

Trauma examination

1. According to the anatomy of each injured part, eliminate the damage of various tissues and organs that may exist locally.

2. Apply a variety of laboratory tests, X-ray imaging, computer tomography and other inspections to increase the accuracy of the diagnosis.

Trauma treatment principles

First aid

(1) The highest priority is given to rescue immediately: asphyxia caused by airway obstruction, cardiovascular damage and severe external bleeding. Asphyxia can cause immediate death if not rescued. Special attention should be paid to wounded patients with head and facial trauma. Nasopharynx or endotracheal intubation can be used to maintain airway patency. Severe external bleeding can be controlled with compression bandaging, tourniquets or anti-shock pants. The tourniquet should be relaxed every 1 hour to avoid tissue necrosis caused by prolonged ischemia.

(2) Priority is given to rescue: abdominal and retroperitoneal trauma, craniocerebral spinal trauma and extensive soft tissue trauma.

(3) Need for rescue: urogenital trauma, facial trauma, fracture, dislocation, peripheral blood vessel, nerve, tendon trauma, soft tissue trauma. Fractures or severe soft tissue trauma should be fixed.

(4) Open or inspiratory wounds in the thorax: they should be closed immediately, or they may die due to severe hypoxia.

(5) Shock: The wounded are shocked due to bleeding, and an equilibrium fluid, such as Ringer's lactate solution, can be input first to correct hypovolemia.

2. Seek medical treatment as soon as possible

After various rescues, the situation of the wounded can be turned to safety or kept stable before being transported. The transportation process should pay attention to safety, balance and speed.