Case study: You have been called to a traffic accident on the highway, the patie
ID: 90294 • Letter: C
Question
Case study:
You have been called to a traffic accident on the highway, the patient has been reported to have chest injuries. After examination (patient is extricated and supine on the side of the road) you find your patient to be in a traumatic cardiac arrest. You determine the need for bilateral chest decompressions, however your patient is morbidly obese and you and your partner struggle to find any landmarks on the patients chest.
Question: What are your options and how will you perform this procedure? (if possible, please include references to make it easier to look back on. thanks!)
Explanation / Answer
When a patient has suffered traffic accident the chances of cardiac arrest is high. During cardiac arrest the function of heart decreases, if it continues then the blood circulation is stopped. This can also lead to brain damage. So the most important step is revival of the heart or resuscitaion.
The AED (automated external defibrillator) should be carried along to the site of accident because the person with cardiac arrest will have cardiac arrhythmias. So to treat this condition, defibrillation can be used, in defibrillation the electrical therapy is applied which stops the arrhythmia, allowing the heart to reestablish an effective rhythm. If we do find any pulse in the patients body then AED should be used, based on the instructions we should place the pads on the body of the patient. After analyzing the rhythm of the heart, the equipment will give the signal to apply shock. If the patient is able to revive after the application of shock then CPR is not required. But if the patient is unable to revive we perform CPR.
During CPR we will locate the sternum bone of the patient, area which is close to heart. We will our interlocked hands on the center of the chest and give 30 compressions and 2 breaths. While giving breaths we should jaw thurst the patient's face, because the patient met with an accident is at high risk of spine injury. So we do not do head tilt chin lift. If the patient revives then we turn the patient on side and wait till the ambulance come. If not revived we continue the CPR.