Conference Notes 2/4/2026

ITE month

Neck Zones

  • Zone I: Clavicles/sternum to the cricoid cartilage
  • Zone II: Cricoid cartilage to the angle of the mandible>> STRAIGHT TO THE OR
  • Zone III: Superior to the angle of the mandible to skull area

Hard signs:

  • Hypotension, arterial bleeding, rapidly expanding hematotma, pulse deficit, bruit >>> STRAIGHT TO THE OR

UNSTABLE C SPINE FRACTURES

“Jefferson Bit off a Hangman’s Toe”

  • Jefferson Fx
  • Bilateral facet joint dislocation
  • Odontoid
  • Atlanto axial dislocation
  • Hangman fracture
  • Teardrop fracture

LE FORT FRACTURES

Indication for ED thoracotomy

  • Penetrating chest trauma + witnessed arrest/loss of vitals

Indication for OR Thoracotomy?

  • Initial Chest tube output??
  • 1500cc or 200cc/hr

Glasgow Coma Scale

Blast Injury

Most common site of basilar skull fracture:

  • Petrous portion of temporal bone

Clonidine overdose>>Naloxone 0.1 mg/kg IV

  • clonidine acts as an alpha 2 agonist and narcan at high dose will compete for same resceptor
  • consider intubation for airway protection

TCA overdose

  • Sodium channel blocking medications
  • Tricyclic antidepressants (= most common)
    • In overdose, the tricyclics produce rapid onset (within 1-2 hours) of:
    • Sedation and coma
    • Seizures
    • Hypotension
    • Tachycardia
    • Broad complex dysrhythmias
    • Anticholinergic syndrome (tachycardia, mydriasis, dry mouth)
  • QRS complex >120 ms

Treatment:

  • Administer IV sodium bicarbonate until you see changes in EKG
  • 1-2 mEq/kg as intravenous push every 5 minutes as needed for termination of wide-complex tachydysrhythmia or prolonged QRS interval >120 milliseconds (ms).