
What is a blunt injury called?
Blunt trauma. Blunt trauma, blunt injury, non-penetrating trauma or blunt force trauma is physical trauma to a body part, either by impact, injury or physical attack. The latter is usually referred to as blunt force trauma.
What are the most common blunt force trauma injuries in car accidents?
Head injuries are the most common blunt force trauma injuries caused by motor vehicle accidents. The effects can include concussions, convulsions, vomiting, headaches, and internal bleeding in and around the brain. These injuries are not uncommon when a car or truck collides with a motorcyclist, bicyclist, or pedestrian.
What is blunt force head trauma?
Blunt force head trauma can produce two different types of injury, which are concussion and contusion. A concussion is caused by the shaking of the brain, while contusion results in a direct injury to the brain. In severe cases, the injury can also occur to the side of the brain opposite of the impact.
What are the most important facts about blunt trauma?
What are the most important facts to know about blunt trauma? Blunt trauma refers to injury of the body by forceful impact with a dull object. With blunt force trauma, there can be internal organ injuries that are not immediately visible. Common organs that are affected include the spleen, liver, and small intestine.

What are examples of blunt force injuries?
Blunt trauma most often occurs in: Car accidents, when rapid deceleration pushes the body into the dashboard, steering wheel, or seatbelt....The resulting injuries may include:Contusions.Abrasions.Lacerations.Bone fractures.Rupture or damage to internal organs.
What are the most common blunt force injuries caused from?
Head injuries are the most common blunt force trauma injuries caused by motor vehicle accidents. The effects can include concussions, convulsions, vomiting, headaches, and internal bleeding in and around the brain.
What are blunt force trauma injuries?
Definitions. Blunt force trauma: Injuries resulting from an impact with a dull, firm surface or object. Individual injuries may be patterned (eg ,characteristics of the wound suggest a particular type of blunt object) or nonspecific.
Where is blunt trauma most common?
Blunt trauma to extremities Falls are the most common etiology, making up as much as 30% of upper and 60% of lower extremity injuries. The most common mechanism for solely upper extremity injuries is machine operation or tool use. Work related accidents and vehicle crashes are also common causes.
Which organ is most commonly injured in blunt abdominal trauma?
The liver is the most commonly injured organ in blunt abdominal trauma and the second most commonly injured organ in penetrating abdominal trauma [3-6]. The liver is a highly vascular organ located in the right upper quadrant (figure 1) of the abdomen and is susceptible to injury from traumatic mechanisms.
What are examples of blunt force and sharp force injuries?
Examples of objects that can cause incised wounds include knives, razors, box cutters, broken glass, and any other object having a sharp edge or point. A chop wound is best considered a combined blunt and sharp force injury that is produced by a relatively sharp object wielded with a tremendous amount of force.
Which complication is most likely to occur in blunt trauma of the abdomen?
Spleen. Spleen is the most common cause of massive bleeding in blunt abdominal trauma to a solid organ. Spleen is the most commonly injured organ. A laceration of the spleen may be associated with hematoma.
Is a bruise a blunt force trauma?
Contusions or bruises are extravasations of blood within the soft tissues originating from ruptured vessels as a result of blunt trauma.
Is a gunshot wound blunt force trauma?
Blunt trauma occurs when the force applied to the body is not sharp in nature. Forensic medicine refers to blunt versus sharp injuries. Thus gunshot wounds (GSW) are classified as blunt to the medical examiner because the bullet is not a sharp imple- ment.
How does blunt trauma happen?
Blunt impact injuries result from direct contact of a blunt object with a body. A contusion results from the blunt impact of significant force to rupture capillaries underneath the skin surface while leaving the skin surface intact, while an abrasion results from scraping off of the superficial epidermis.
What are the examples of blunt force and sharp force injuries?
Examples of objects that can cause incised wounds include knives, razors, box cutters, broken glass, and any other object having a sharp edge or point. A chop wound is best considered a combined blunt and sharp force injury that is produced by a relatively sharp object wielded with a tremendous amount of force.
Is a gunshot wound blunt force trauma?
Blunt trauma occurs when the force applied to the body is not sharp in nature. Forensic medicine refers to blunt versus sharp injuries. Thus gunshot wounds (GSW) are classified as blunt to the medical examiner because the bullet is not a sharp imple- ment.
What is blunt trauma?
Blunt trauma, also known as non-penetrating trauma or blunt force trauma, refers to injury of the body by forceful impact, falls, or physical attac...
What is blunt trauma death?
Blunt trauma death refers to physical trauma to the body by way of fall, impact, or attack, that results in death. Head trauma and severe loss of b...
Which organs are most likely to be injured by blunt trauma?
The majority of blunt trauma cases are from motor vehicle crashes and pedestrian injuries often resulting in abdominal injuries. These injuries are...
How is blunt trauma diagnosed?
When assessing possible abdominal trauma, physicians look for abdominal pain, tenderness, nausea, and vomiting. In cases of motor vehicle crashes,...
Can blunt force trauma cause blood clots?
Blunt force trauma can often lead to bruising and blood clots. Bruising occurs when the blood vessels on the surface of the soft tissue of skin are...
Can blunt force trauma cause aneurysms?
If there is blunt force trauma to the head and skull, there may be a risk for aneurysms, or enlarged and weakened arteries in the brain. For exampl...
Can blunt force trauma cause miscarriages?
Blunt injury during pregnancy can cause miscarriages, especially if it occurs after the first trimester of the pregnancy. The most common mechanism...
What are the most important facts to know about blunt trauma?
Blunt trauma refers to injury of the body by forceful impact with a dull object. With blunt force trauma, there can be internal organ injuries that...
What is blunt trauma?
Blunt trauma is commonly thought of in terms of a slower loading force applied to tissue, such as is seen in cases of assault, battery, or even motor vehicle accidents. When examining bone that has been fractured by a blunt force type of mechanism, there are clues that the pathologist or anthropologist can identify.
What is the most common type of blunt injury to the ureter?
Blunt injury to the ureter is very rare. The most common type of ureteral injury resulting from blunt trauma is the avulsion of the ureter from the renal pelvis at the ureteropelvic junction.90,91 The proximal ureter also may be disrupted from blunt injury. 92,93 Most blunt ureteral injuries occur in children because a child has a much more flexible trunk and spinal column. The mechanism of injury is extreme hyperextension followed by sudden deceleration and ureteral compression against a vertebral body (Fig. 55-8 ). 76
What is a bruise in a soft tissue?
Contusions or bruises are extravasations of blood within the soft tissues originating from ruptured vessels as a result of blunt trauma. In this context, only the contusions that are visible externally are considered. Textbooks usually differentiate between intradermal and subcutaneous bruises. In the first-mentioned category, the hemorrhage is located directly under the epidermis, that is, in the corium. This kind of superficial hematoma is usually sharply defined and red, whereas the more common bruises of the deeper subcutaneous layer have blurred edges and, at least initially, a bluish-purple color.
What is the most common bladder injury?
Gross hematuria with normal cystography in the absence of upper tract injuries defines bladder contusion. Extraperitoneal injury is the most common bladder injury. Usually it is located at the bladder base.
What causes blunt trauma to the female genitalia?
Blunt injuries involving the female genitalia are most frequently associated with pelvic fractures. Injuries to the external genitalia can also be the result of straddle injuries or accidental penetration. Water skiing, gymnastics, and bicycling accidents have been reported as the causes of blunt trauma to the lower genitalia. Penetrating injuries are almost exclusively responsible for injuries to the upper genital organs, although several reports of blunt trauma to normal ovaries and uterus have been reported.
What happens if you squeeze your skin into grooves?
The skin that is squeezed into grooves will show intradermal bleeding, whereas the areas exposed to the elevated parts remain pale. Especially in falls from a height, the texture of the clothing may produce a pattern of intradermal bruises corresponding to the weaving structure.
What is a penetrating injury?
Penetrating injuries are almost exclusively responsible for injuries to the upper genital organs, although several reports of blunt trauma to normal ovaries and uterus have been reported. Many of the injuries to the external genital organs are the result of violent acts in pregnant as well as nonpregnant women.
What happens if you apply a large force to a small area?
On the other hand, a smaller force applied to a smaller area will result in less tissue damage.
What is the goal of a personal injury claim?
The goal of a personal injury claim is to make the plaintiff “whole” again. To put it another way, personal injury lawsuits are supposed to return the plaintiff to their pre-accident condition, financially speaking.
What is blunt force trauma?
Blunt trauma, also known as blunt force trauma or non-penetrating trauma, is physical trauma or impactful force to a body part, often occurring with road traffic collisions, direct blows, assaults, injuries during sports, and particularly in the elderly who fall.
What happens when you have a blunt trauma?
It is contrasted with penetrating trauma which occurs when an object pierces the skin and enters a tissue of the body, creating an open wound and bruise. Blunt trauma can result in contusions, abrasions, lacerations, internal hemorrhages, and bone fractures.
What is blunt trauma in sports?
The priority in assessing blunt trauma in sports injuries is separating contusions and musculo-tendinous injuries from injuries to solid organs and the gut and recognizing potential for developing blood loss, and reacting accordingly. Blunt injuries to the kidney from helmets, shoulder pads, and knees are described in American football, association football, martial arts, and all-terrain vehicle accidents.
What is the primary concern with blunt trauma to the head?
The primary clinical concern with blunt trauma to the head is damage to the brain, although other structures, including the skull, face, orbits, and neck are also at risk. Following assessment of the patient's airway, circulation, and breathing, a cervical collar may be placed if there is suspicion of trauma to the neck.
What causes a blunt pelvic injury?
The most common causes of blunt pelvic trauma are motor vehicle accidents and multiple-story falls , and thus pelvic injuries are commonly associated with additional traumatic injuries in other locations.
What is the most common cause of disability and death in people under the age of 35?
Worldwide, a significant cause of disability and death in people under the age of 35 years is trauma, of which most are due to blunt trauma .
How many thoracic injuries require surgery?
Only 10-15% of thoracic traumas require surgery, but they can have serious impacts on the heart, lungs, and great vessels. This table depicts mechanisms of blunt thoracic trauma and the most common injuries from each mechanism.
Blunt Force Trauma
What is blunt force trauma? What is the definition of blunt force trauma?
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of blunt force trauma and the severity of injury depend on the location of the injury and how hard the force was, as well as other factors such as age, medical conditions, and environment.
Treatment
Treatment plans vary from person to person and depend on the type and location of the injury and level of acuity, or how life-threatening the injury is. A person suffering from blunt force trauma will most likely be treated in a hospital setting, where there are many resources available for the best possible outcome.
