Penetrating trauma: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
|||
| (9 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
__NOTOC__ | |||
{{SI}} | {{SI}} | ||
{{CMG}} | |||
==Overview== | |||
Penetrating trauma is an [[injury]] that occurs primarily by an object piercing the skin or entering a [[tissue (biology)|tissue]] of the body. | |||
==Pathophysiology== | |||
The severity of the injury is determined largely by the velocity of the object that enters the body. High-velocity objects are usually projectiles such as bullets from high-powered or assault rifles.<ref name="brady">Daniel Limmer and Michael F. O'Keefe. 2005. ''Emergency Care'' 10th ed. Edward T. Dickinson, Ed. Pearson, Prentice Hall. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Pages 189-190.</ref> Bullets from handguns and shotguns are classed as medium-velocity projectiles.<ref name="brady"/> Low-velocity items, such as knives, are usually propelled by a person's hand, and usually do damage only to the area that is directly contacted by the object.<ref name="brady"/> | |||
== | ==Complications== | ||
In addition to causing damage to the tissues they contact, medium and high velocity projectiles cause a cavitation injury: as the object enters the body, it creates a pressure wave which forces tissue out of the way, creating a cavity that can be much larger than the object itself.<ref name="brady"/> The tissues soon move back into place, eliminating the cavity, but the cavitation frequently does considerable damage first.<ref name="brady"/> Cavitation can be especially damaging when it affects delicate tissues such as the [[brain]], as occurs in [[penetrating head trauma]]. | |||
== | ==Related Chapters== | ||
*[[Blunt trauma]] | *[[Blunt trauma]] | ||
* | *[[Penetrating head injury]] | ||
==References== | |||
{{Reflist|2}} | |||
[[Category:Medical emergencies]] | [[Category:Medical emergencies]] | ||
Latest revision as of 17:46, 21 February 2013
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Penetrating trauma is an injury that occurs primarily by an object piercing the skin or entering a tissue of the body.
Pathophysiology
The severity of the injury is determined largely by the velocity of the object that enters the body. High-velocity objects are usually projectiles such as bullets from high-powered or assault rifles.[1] Bullets from handguns and shotguns are classed as medium-velocity projectiles.[1] Low-velocity items, such as knives, are usually propelled by a person's hand, and usually do damage only to the area that is directly contacted by the object.[1]
Complications
In addition to causing damage to the tissues they contact, medium and high velocity projectiles cause a cavitation injury: as the object enters the body, it creates a pressure wave which forces tissue out of the way, creating a cavity that can be much larger than the object itself.[1] The tissues soon move back into place, eliminating the cavity, but the cavitation frequently does considerable damage first.[1] Cavitation can be especially damaging when it affects delicate tissues such as the brain, as occurs in penetrating head trauma.