Fractures in Aircraft-Timofte Lidia.engleza

7/28/2019 Fractures in Aircraft-Timofte Lidia.engleza

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On an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf, flight deck personnel were readying fighter

aircraft for a strike at enemy ground forces. One of the Sailors had a problem with

ordinance and one rocket accidentally discharged. The rocket flew into and past anotherSailor causing severe injury to his thigh and fracturing his femur. Ruptured femoral

vessels poured forth blood and the injured Sailor fell to the deck unconscious. An alert

Sailor called for someone to summon the corpsman and then he dropped to the deck toclose off the blood loss by use of a tourniquet. Very shortly afterwards the corpsmen

arrived. The corpsman checked the tourniquet (see accompanying illustrations), and

wrote on the forehead of the victim the time of application of the tourniquet. The Sailorwas covered with a blanket to reduce the possibility of severe shock and the wound wascovered with sterile, moist gauze. The injured Sailor's vital signs were taken (pulse, blood

pressure and respiratory rate) as he was taken rapidly to the sickbay. In the meantime, the

naval surgeon was summoned to sickbay, which was readied for treatment of the injuredSailor. If this accident had happened on shore, the corpsman would have followed the

same procedures but would have had to immobilize the leg with a splint. The splint, in

combat, might include a branch of a tree or any other inflexible object (preferably clean)a pillow, magazine or newspaper as the supporting structure. The two legs can be merely

bound together. The rationale is to avoid causing further damage by the sharp edges of

the fractured bones moving about while the patient is being evacuated.

The following are useful guidelines when one considers the possibility of broken bones.A corpsman may use the following signs as indicators of broken bones:

1. Pain or soreness over a joint or bone.

2. The victim tells the corpsman that he heard or felt a break.


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3. The victim can't move an injured part or that a move is painful.

4. The victim tells the corpsman that there is numbness or tingling in the injured limb.

This is also an indicator of possible nerve injury.

5. An arterial pulse cannot be found in the injured part or limb. This is an indicator ofblood vessel injury.

6. The corpsman sees swelling or bruising in the injury site. This an indicator of

extravasated blood.

7. The injured part is in an unusual or abnormal position and any possible movement isabnormal.

How to provide first aid to victims with bone or joint injuries? Without x-rays or MR

imaging it is not always possible to know if a bone is broken, a joint is dislocated or

damaged, or if ligaments are stretched or torn. The rule-of-thumb therefore, is not toguess, but to immobilize the injured part. However, this is not the first step in the first aid

of these victims.

1. Treat for any life-threatening condition first: check breathing, pulse and for any

bleeding. Finally stabilize the fractured bone or injured joint.

2. It is essential to keep movement of the individual and the injured part to a minimum.The rational for minimal movement is to reduce the possibility of additional damage to

bone, muscle, blood vessels and nerves and the production of additional pain.

3. Immobilize the injured part with bandages, slings and splints.


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4. If there is torn skin avoid contamination of exposed underlying structures using sterile

compresses. Infections of bone are very serious and difficult to treat. If there is a

compound or open fracture (bone sticking through the surface of the skin) never try topush the bone inside the torn muscle.

5. Swelling of joints can be avoided by cooling the injured part using ice wrapped in a

cloth or towel.

6. Treat for shock and secure the aid of a medical corpsman and physician as soon as

possible.


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Colle's fracture


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Comminuted fracture


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Green-stick


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Impacted

Incomplete


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Linear


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Oblique

Pott's fracture


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Spiral fracture


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Transverse fracture


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Fractures in Aircraft-Timofte Lidia.engleza