Monday: For the first day of my last experience with trauma week as a senior, we all met at 8:30 on our football field for our scenario. This year, we are studying a football injury, which was acted out by our very own students. A 17 year old male named Connor is tackled on the field and experiences an open tibia/fibula fracture. Our St. Luke’s athletic trainer David Bentley hurries onto the field, followed by paramedics and an ambulance. Specifically, two physicians who were on the sidelines came to Dave’s help. The Mobile Fire Rescue Department EMS crew gathered splint and stabilize the leg on the field. Once in the auditorium, we got to speak and hear many experts of sports medicine and orthopedics. They tell us every step they do to get Connor comfortable. Each participant explained their roles in the whole process. Various splints were introduced along with traction for his leg. Tomorrow, we will learn about what will happen in the OR for Connor and his fracture.
Tuesday: On Tuesday, we got to speak with Dr. Slaughterbeck, who we met the day before, who is an orthopedic trauma surgeon that specializes in sports injuries. He is the chair of orthopedic surgery and has been around the country creating sport medicine curriculums for institutions. He showed us all of his equipment he would use for different types of sports injury fractures and breaks. He discussed how we know Connor haas an open tibfib fracture (tibia shaft fracture) with dirt in the bone. We splinted him, gave him morphine, antibiotics, IVs, dressed his wound, and found pulses. We learned from Dr. Slaughterbeck how to analyze different types of fractures (whether it be displaced, angulated, shifted certain degrees, etc). Because of the fracture being open, we decided to use an external fixator to keep the bone and leg in place during the healing process. We got to see pins, external fixators, plates, bones, and more! The surgery would take 1.5 hours to wash the wound properly of bacteria, and around 30 minutes to fix the injury. A skin graft can be taken from the butt to cover the open wound. We loved having Dr. Slaughterbeck and his wise ways with orthopedics!
Wednesday: We talked to Dr. Rippey, who we met Monday, where he talked to us about concussions. Connor also as a concussion from his injury, but it wasn't as prominent as his open fracture. A concussion is a traumatically induced transient disturbance of brain function. We learned that there are assessments on the sideline like SCAT5, CNAS, reassessments, and sitting out. People can know they have a concussion by pain from bright lights and headaches. Concussion treatments are initial rests for 24-48 hours, symptom threshold exercises like a walk, Tylenol/NSAIDS, break from school/altered schedule, and a PT referral. Once someone returns to school, they must avoid test and have a individualized schedule to allow the brain to rest before returning to sports. Did you know: 50% of concussions are not reported!
Thursday: We got to talk with Elizabeth Boone, who is a mother and physical therapist that works with a lot of our students. She came to talk to us about what she does when Connor comes to her weeks after the injury for physical therapy. Note** Connor would have his external inhibitor on at this time.*** Mrs. Boone does a series of tests to determine the degree of the body. She suspects that Connor also tore his ACL, but did not notice for the fact he had the open fracture. She checks foot pulse and muscle grade to see the leg's health. She allowed students to sit on her table to test out a series of techniques she uses for her therapy. She demonstrated dry needling and the tens unit for recovery of all injuries.
Friday: I sadly did not get to sit in on class for Friday due to the fact that I am leaving for Nationals with some of my cross country teammates. It was a great week!
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