Airbag injuries: Difference between revisions
(Text replacement - "f/u" to "follow up") |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
*Airbag deployment can cause caustic injuries from aerosolized ALKALI including sodium hydroxide and sodium carbonate | *Airbag deployment can cause caustic injuries from aerosolized ALKALI including sodium hydroxide and sodium carbonate | ||
*Additional mechanisms of injury from direct contact, quick deceleration, flexion and or hyperextension depending on seat belt use | *Additional mechanisms of injury from direct contact, quick deceleration, flexion and/or hyperextension depending on seat belt use | ||
==Clinical Features== | ==Clinical Features== | ||
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
*Deployment releases small amount of alkali | *Deployment releases small amount of alkali | ||
**Skin burns are usually minor | **Skin burns are usually minor | ||
**Ocular burns require irrigation, pH testing and | **Ocular burns require irrigation, pH testing and ophtho follow up | ||
**Long-term sequelae are rare | |||
===Ocular Injuries=== | ===Ocular Injuries=== | ||
| Line 19: | Line 19: | ||
===Cervical and Thoracic Spine Injuries=== | ===Cervical and Thoracic Spine Injuries=== | ||
*see [[Cervical | *see [[Cervical spine fractures and dislocations]] | ||
*see [[Thoracic | *see [[Thoracic trauma]] | ||
===[[ | ===[[Myocardial rupture]]=== | ||
*Uncommon complication | *Uncommon complication | ||
*Can exist with barotrauma alone with the absence of rib fractures<ref>Lancaster GI, et al. Air-bag-associated rupture of the right atrium. N Engl J Med. 1993; 328:358.</ref> | *Can exist with barotrauma alone with the absence of rib fractures<ref>Lancaster GI, et al. Air-bag-associated rupture of the right atrium. N Engl J Med. 1993; 328:358.</ref> | ||
| Line 30: | Line 30: | ||
==Workup== | ==Workup== | ||
* | *Clinical diagnosis | ||
==Management== | ==Management== | ||
| Line 40: | Line 38: | ||
==Disposition== | ==Disposition== | ||
* | *Depends on type and severity of injury | ||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
*[[Caustic | *[[Caustic keratoconjunctivitis]] | ||
*[[Burns]] | *[[Burns]] | ||
*[[ | *[[Caustic burns]] | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
[[Category:EMS]] | |||
[[Category:Trauma]] | [[Category:Trauma]] | ||
Revision as of 04:10, 1 January 2017
Background
- Airbag deployment can cause caustic injuries from aerosolized ALKALI including sodium hydroxide and sodium carbonate
- Additional mechanisms of injury from direct contact, quick deceleration, flexion and/or hyperextension depending on seat belt use
Clinical Features
Burns
- Usually minor
- Related to direct contact with skin or heat from melted clothing
- Deployment releases small amount of alkali
- Skin burns are usually minor
- Ocular burns require irrigation, pH testing and ophtho follow up
- Long-term sequelae are rare
Ocular Injuries
- Chemical keratitis
- Corneal Abrasion
Cervical and Thoracic Spine Injuries
Myocardial rupture
- Uncommon complication
- Can exist with barotrauma alone with the absence of rib fractures[1]
Differential Diagnosis
Caustic Burns
- Caustic ingestion
- Caustic eye exposure (Caustic keratoconjunctivitis)
- Caustic dermal burn
- Airbag-related burns
- Hydrofluoric acid
- Tar burn
- Cement burn
Workup
- Clinical diagnosis
Management
- Skin: basic burn care
- Eye: copious irrigation, pH testing, ophthalmology consult
- Consider conservative management with antibiotics, and a short course of steroids[2]
Disposition
- Depends on type and severity of injury