Traumatology Codexery

Traumatic asphyxia

A medical emergency from thoracic compression causing venous back-flow.

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Intense compression of the chest forces blood from the right heart backward into the veins of the neck and brain, creating a medical emergency known as traumatic asphyxia.[1] Bluish discoloration of the head, neck, and upper limbs, together with tiny red spots on the conjunctiva, are the hallmark signs.[2] Swelling of the face and visible bulging of the jugular veins are additional findings.[2]

Quick Facts

Also known as
Perthes syndrome

Facts from the source article.

Key facts and history

It requires a Valsalva maneuver during the traumatic force, with exhalation against a closed glottis trapping air in the thorax.[3] A sudden blow to the thorax raises pressure inside the chest, and air trapped by a closed glottis forces that pressure backward through the right atrium and superior vena cava into the veins of the head and neck.[3][4] Common accompanying injuries include bruised lung, bruised heart muscle, air or blood in the chest cavity, and fractured ribs.[2] Most patients who survive the initial crushing event have a good chance of recovery.[5]

What the cited sources add

The Open Library record for ISBN 9780323085373 lists "Paramedic Practice Today Above And Beyond" as published by Mosby in 2011.[6] The Open Library record for ISBN 9781455706051 lists "Rosen's Emergency Medicine - Concepts and Clinical Practice, 2-Volume Set" as published by Elsevier - Health Sciences Division in 2013, with 2808 pages.[7]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Traumatic asphyxia" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Karamustafaoglu, "Traumatic asphyxia", International Journal of Emergency Medicine, 25 August 2010, p. 379–380; Marx, "Rosen's Emergency Medicine - Concepts and Clinical Practice", Saunders, 2013, p. 435 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Traumatic asphyxia" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Aehlert, "Paramedic Practice Today: Above and Beyond", Jones & Bartlett Publishers, 2010, p. 472; Eken, "Traumatic asphyxia: A rare syndrome in trauma patients", International Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2009, p. 255–6; Lee, "Traumatic asphyxia", The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, 1991, p. 86–8 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Traumatic asphyxia" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Eken, "Traumatic asphyxia: A rare syndrome in trauma patients", International Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2009, p. 255–6; Barakat, "Syndrome d'asphyxie traumatique ou syndrome de Perthes. À propos de six cas", Annales Françaises d'Anesthésie et de Réanimation, 2004, p. 59–62 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Traumatic asphyxia" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Eken, "Traumatic asphyxia: A rare syndrome in trauma patients", International Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2009, p. 255–6 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Traumatic asphyxia" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Eken, "Traumatic asphyxia: A rare syndrome in trauma patients", International Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2009, p. 255–6; Barakat, "Syndrome d'asphyxie traumatique ou syndrome de Perthes. À propos de six cas", Annales Françaises d'Anesthésie et de Réanimation, 2004, p. 59–62; Bledsoe, "Know the Signs and Symptoms of Traumatic Asphyxia", JEMS, 2010 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  6. Open Library record, ISBN 9780323085373 ("Paramedic Practice Today Above And Beyond"). CC0 (metadata); book content not read. openlibrary.org
  7. Open Library record, ISBN 9781455706051 ("Rosen's Emergency Medicine - Concepts and Clinical Practice, 2-Volume Set"). CC0 (metadata); book content not read. openlibrary.org

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Traumatic asphyxia (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

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Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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