Throat and Thorax Injuries

1
Throat and Thorax Injuries
Chapter 7

• Chapter 7

2
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.

3
Throat Anatomy

• Carotid artery
• Jugular vein
• Larynx
• Trachea
• Esophagus

4
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

5
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

6
Thorax Anatomy

• Thoracic Vertebrae
• 12 Ribs on each side (2 floating)
• Sternum
• These bones function to protect the organs

7
Thoracic organs

• Heart
• Lungs
• Diaphragm

8
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

9
Heart

• Chambers
• Left and right atrium
• Left and right ventricle
• Thicker due to function of pumping blood
  throughout the body

10
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

11
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

12
Lungs

• Function to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide
  and dissipate body heat

13
Lungs

• Bronchi
• Branches of the trachea
• Bronchioles
• Divisions of the bronchi
• Alveoli
• Ends of the bronchioles where oxygen-carbon
  dioxide exchange occurs

14
Diaphragm

• Separates thorax and abdominal cavities
• Contracts and pulls down to assist inhalation and
  moves up to push air out

15
Injury Prevention

• Protective equipment
• Rules
• Always buy best protective equipment

16
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

17
Throat lacerations

• Superficial lacerations can be controlled with
  direct pressure
• Deep are medical emergencies
• Apply direct pressure, treat for shock
• Must respond quickly

18
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

19
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

20
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

21
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

22
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

23
Tension Pneumothorax

• Sign/symptoms
• 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

24
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

25
Flail chest

• Treatment- decrease movement of fracture
• Treat athlete for shock
• Call 911 immediately

26
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

27
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

28
Hyperventilation

• Quick breathing gt24 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