NURS 3664 Lecture Notes - Lecture 24: Traffic Collision, Lipid Peroxidation, Penetrating Trauma
Document Summary
Ongoing, progressive damage that occurs after initial injury. Several theories on what causes ongoing damage at molecular and cellular levels. Free radical formation- pulling electrons from lipids and causing damage to cell. Apoptosis (programmed cell death) for weeks after injury. Lead to scar tissue formation, irreversible nerve damage, and permanent neurologic deficit. Within 24 hours, permanent damage may occur because of edema. Extent of damage and prognosis for recovery most accurately determined 72 hours or more after injury. Greatest improvement occurs in first 3 to 6 months following injury. Issues with bradycardia and hypotension due to decreased cardiac output. Reflexes, loss of sensation, absent thermoregulation, flaccid paralysis below level of injury. Flexion, hyperextension, flexion-rotation (most unstable due to ligaments of spine), extension-rotation, Most commonly cervical region and more common in older adults. Motor weakness and sensory loss but lower extremities are not usually affected and may have burning pain in upper extremities. Damage to anterior spinal artery compromised blood flow.
