What is a complication that can occur after a pulmonary contusion?
Other complications include shock. This can happen if there are serious injuries or infection, severe inflammation, or developing fluid in the lung. Tension pneumothorax, which can lead to cardiac arrest, is another possible complication.
What can happen within the first 1 2 hours of a pulmonary contusion?
Pulmonary contusion can result in respiratory failure—about half of such cases occur within a few hours of the initial trauma. Other severe complications, including infections and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) occur in up to half of cases.
Which condition may manifest in a patient with a completely collapsed lung due to entry of air into the chest cavity?
Pneumothorax is defined as the presence of air or gas in the pleural cavity (ie, the potential space between the visceral and parietal pleura of the lung). The clinical results are dependent on the degree of collapse of the lung on the affected side.
Can pulmonary contusion cause pleural effusion?
The most common complication is infection of the lung. Most pulmonary hematomas and contusions clear within 10 days, unless the lung becomes infected. Pulmonary contusions may be complicated by pneumothorax, hemothorax, or pleural effusion, all of which may require intercostal drainage.
What is the most common complication of pulmonary contusion?
The main complications of pulmonary contusion are ARDS and pneumonia. ARDS develops in 17% of patients with isolated pulmonary contusion, while 78% of those with additional injuries develop ARDS [15].
Who is at risk for pneumothorax?
Risk factors In general, men are far more likely to have a pneumothorax than women are. The type of pneumothorax caused by ruptured air blisters is most likely to occur in people between 20 and 40 years old, especially if the person is very tall and underweight.
What is flail chest?
Flail chest — defined as two or more contiguous rib fractures with two or more breaks per rib — is one of the most serious of these injuries and is often associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. It occurs when a portion of the chest wall is destabilized, usually from severe blunt force trauma.
When gas enters the pleural space during inspiration but is unable to leave during expiration The patient is said to have a N ):?
A tension pneumothorax is a life-threatening condition caused by a pleural injury which acts as a one-way valve. As a result, air can enter the pleural space during inspiration, but is unable to escape during expiration.
What are four clinical manifestations of a pneumothorax?
What are the Symptoms of Pneumothorax?
- Sharp, stabbing chest pain that worsens when trying to breath in.
- Shortness of breath.
- Bluish skin caused by a lack of oxygen.
- Fatigue.
- Rapid breathing and heartbeat.
- A dry, hacking cough.
What are pulmonary contusions?
Pulmonary contusion is another name for a bruised lung. A blow to your chest, such as from hitting a car steering wheel or air bag, can bruise your lung. If the injury isn’t too bad, you may feel some soreness in your chest and then start to feel better in a few days.
What are 3 signs and symptoms of a pneumothorax?
The symptoms of pneumothorax can vary from mild to life-threatening and may include:
- shortness of breath.
- chest pain, which may be more severe on one side of the chest.
- sharp pain when inhaling.
- pressure in the chest that gets worse over time.
- blue discoloration of the skin or lips.
- increased heart rate.
- rapid breathing.
What is a contusion of the lung?
Contusion is a bruise of the lung caused by chest trauma. As a result of damage to capillaries, blood and other fluids accumulate in the lung tissue. The excess fluid interferes with gas exchange, potentially leading to inadequate oxygen levels or hypoxia.
What is the difference between pulmonary laceration and pulmonary contusion?
Unlike pulmonary laceration, another type of lung injury, pulmonary contusion does not involve a cut or tear of the lung tissue. A pulmonary contusion is usually caused directly by blunt trauma but can also result from explosion injuries or a shock wave associated with penetrating trauma.
What are the treatment options for a pulmonary contusion?
The contusion mostly heals by its own with supportive care, supplemental oxygen and close monitoring, but intensive care may be required. Fluid replacement is required to ensure adequate blood volume, but this should be done carefully as fluid overload can worsen pulmonary edema, which may be damaging.
What is the pathophysiology of pulmonary contusion and blunt chest trauma?
The pathophysiology of pulmonary contusion and blunt chest trauma includes inflammation, increased alveolo-capillary permeability and pulmonary edema, ventilation/perfusion mismatching increased intrapulmonary shunting, and a loss of compliance [ 29 ].