Blunt and Penetrating Trauma

Energy of Motion (¹/₂Mass x Velocity²)

Slowing down of moving object.

Suspicion of underlying injuries when determining mechanism of injury.

Force or transference of energy resulting in injury.

Potential Energy becomes Kinetic Energy, which become Work (think of someone jumping off a building - Potential Energy at the top, Kinetic on the way down, becomes Work when they hit the ground).

Does not penetrate soft tissue when applied to the body.  (Vehicle Collisions, Falls, etc).

Indications:  Discoloration, Pain

• Car Collision
• Human Collision
• Internal Collision

• Passenger Compartment Intrusion
• Seats Torn From Mounts
• Collapsed Steering Wheel

• Fractures of Lower Extremities
• Head Trauma
• Flail Chest from Ribs Hitting Steering Wheel

Injury occurring at both the point of contact and the opposite side of the impact due to transmission of energy through the brain tissue.

• What hit the ground first? (What absorbed the majority of the impact)
• < or > 15-20 ft?

• Broken Ribs
• Cardiac Contusion
• Pulmonary Contusion
• Pneumothorax
• Hemothorax

• Headache
• Nausea/Vomiting
• Loss of Consciousness
• Altered LOC
• Doesn't Remember the Accident
• Combative
• Changes in Speech

ICP = Increased Cranial Pressure, resulting from bleeding and swelling of the brain.

• Pancreas
• Liver
• Spleen
• Kidneys

• Intestines
• Stomach
• Urinary Bladder