what happens when you die from blunt force trauma

Full Answer

Is blunt force trauma always the cause of death?

People dying natural deaths often have minor blunt force injuries that do not contribute to death -- small abrasions or contusions on the skin are commonplace at autopsy. Although it is important to document evidence of blunt force trauma in all autopsies, one should not immediately assume that blunt force trauma is the cause of death.

What are the possible complications of blunt force trauma?

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. Injuries to internal organs can lead to hemorrhage and sudden drop in blood pressure. If not diagnosed promptly, this can lead to hypovolemic shock.

What are blunt trauma injuries?

The majority of blunt trauma cases are from motor vehicle crashes and pedestrian injuries often resulting in abdominal injuries. These injuries are typically attributed to collisions between the individual and the external environment, or to acceleration and deceleration forces acting on the individual’s internal organs.

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.

How can blunt force trauma cause death?

Brain Injury In severe cases, blunt force head trauma can lead to brain injuries and even result in death. For instance, head trauma from a vehicle crash may not have penetrated the skin or skull, but the brain may have been jolted around during impact, causing it to crash into the sides of the skull.

What happens during blunt force trauma?

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.

Can you feel blunt force trauma?

The symptoms of blunt force trauma vary. Symptoms may be mild, and some people may assume they merely have a headache or are suffering from the shock and aftermath of an accident. Other individuals may experience immediate and severe symptoms.

Is blunt force trauma always fatal?

Blunt force trauma is routinely involved in cases classified as accidents, as well as in cases of suicide and homicide. People dying natural deaths often have minor blunt force injuries that do not contribute to death -- small abrasions or contusions on the skin are commonplace at autopsy.

Which organ is most likely to be injured by blunt trauma?

For blunt trauma injuries, the liver is the most commonly affected, followed by the spleen. The liver, as the largest organ, is more liable to injury.

What is severe blunt force trauma?

Blunt force trauma is a non-penetrating type of trauma that causes an injury to the body through direct contact with a dull object or surface. Most people assume blunt force trauma involves blood or other obvious evidence that an object hit the body.

What are the symptoms of Blunt trauma?

What are the signs and symptom of blunt abdominal trauma in an alert patient?Pain.Tenderness.Gastrointestinal hemorrhage.Hypovolemia.Evidence of peritoneal irritation.

Can you survive blunt force trauma to the head?

You should always seek medical treatment after blunt force head trauma. Traumatic brain injuries can cause serious problems — even death — if left untreated.

How does head trauma cause death?

“With a severe head injury, the brain surrounded by this fluid moves within the skull with the potential of blood vessels breaking” causing potentially fatal bleeding compressing the brain. Head trauma can also directly lead to blood vessels within the brain rupturing.

What does blunt force trauma to the torso mean?

Blunt Impact Injury to the Torso. If a biker suffers a blunt impact to the torso during a motorcycle accident, he or she risks damages to the chest and abdomen. Contusions and lacerations can occur internally and put body organs at risk for damage and failure.

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?

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.

How does a large force affect the chance of death?

Typically, a large force applied to a sizable area over several minutes will result in vast tissue damage, which increases the chance of death. Whereas a smaller force applied to a smaller area will result in less tissue damage. Severity of injury also depends on the underlying age and health of the individual.

What is penetrating trauma?

Penetrating trauma, by contrast, involves an object or surface piercing the skin, causing an open wound. Blunt trauma can be caused by a combination of forces, including acceleration and deceleration (the increase and decrease in speed of a moving object), shearing (the slipping and stretching of organs and tissue in relation to each other), ...

What are the four types of trauma?

Blunt trauma can generally be classified into four categories: contusion, abrasion, laceration, and fracture. Contusion—more commonly known as a bruise—is a region of skin where small veins and capillaries have ruptured. Abrasions occur when layers of the skin have been scraped away by a rough surface. Laceration refers to the tearing of the skin ...

What organs are affected by hypovolemic shock?

The kidneys, bladder, diaphragm, and the large and small intestines may also be affected. Injuries to the internal organs can lead to hemorrhage (release of blood from damaged blood vessels). This may result in hypotension, or a decrease in blood pressure, and more severely, hypovolemic shock.

What is the term for a tearing of the skin that causes an irregular or jagged-appearing wound

Abrasions occur when layers of the skin have been scraped away by a rough surface. Laceration refers to the tearing of the skin that causes an irregular or jagged-appearing wound. Lastly, fractures are complete or partial breaks in bone.

Can hitting your head against the steering wheel cause an aneurysm?

For example, hitting one’s head against the steering wheel in a motor vehicle crash could cause blunt force trauma to the head. Brain aneurysms due to blunt and penetrating head injuries are rare, however, and make up less than 1% of all cases.

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 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 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 .

What is blunt chest injury?

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. A depiction of flail chest, a very serious blunt chest injury.

What is blunt force trauma?

Blunt trauma is the initial trauma, from which develops more specific types such as contusions, a brasions, lacerations, and/or bone fractures.

What happens if you hit a bone with a blunt force?

Blunt impact of significant force to a bone results in a fracture. Blunt force injuries are commonly seen in living and deceased patients. The appearance of wounds depends on multiple factors, including the force, speed, length of time of impact, the surface area of contact, and elasticity of tissues impacted.

Why do people get traumatic injuries?

The majority of serious traumatic injuries are due to blunt trauma from motor vehicle crashes and pedestrian injuries. Falls are also an important cause, particularly in the elderly. Direct blows, assaults, and sporting injuries are also common.

How long after impact can contusions be visible?

Blunt impact injuries usually manifest immediately after impact; however, deep contusions may not be visible on the skin surface for several days after the injury occurs.

What are the most common causes of death due to blunt trauma?

Alternatively, a smaller force applied to a smaller area will result in less tissue damage; for example, the impact of a thrown baseball to the shoulder of an individual will likely cause minor blunt trauma. Head trauma and exsanguination are the most common early causes of death due to blunt traumatic injury.

How long does it take to recover from a blunt head injury?

The GCS at 24 hours is a strong predictor of cognitive recovery at 24 months after the injury. The mortality rates do vary from 4-40% at five years after blunt head trauma. Younger people fare much better than older individuals. Individuals with a neurological deficit and those taking oral anticoagulants at the time of injury often have a poor outcome. The pupillary function before and after the injury is also predictive of outcome. Those with bilateral unresponsive pupils tend to have a grave prognosis and a higher risk of remaining in a vegetative state. Finally, studies show that diabetics also tend to fare worse with blunt head trauma compared to nondiabetics 18).

What are the four categories of blunt impact injuries?

Blunt impact injuries generally can be classified into four categories: contusion, abrasion, laceration, and fracture 1). Trauma is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients under 35-years of age and the sixth leading cause of death worldwide 2).

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.

How does blunt force trauma affect the severity of injuries?

The severity of injuries inflicted as a result of blunt force trauma is dependent on the amount of kinetic energy transferred and the tissue to which the energy is transferred. The kinetic energy associated with a moving object is equal to one half the mass of that object multiplied by the velocity of the object squared (1/2 mv 2 ). In general, a somewhat lighter object traveling at high speed will cause more damage than a heavier object traveling at low speed. [ 1, 2, 3, 4]

What is blunt force trauma?

Blunt force trauma is routinely involved in cases classified as accidents, as well as in cases of suicide and homicide. People dying natural deaths often have minor blunt force injuries that do not contribute to death -- small abrasions or contusions on the skin are commonplace at autopsy.

What is a contusion in the chest?

Contusion (bruise): Hemorrhage into the dermis, subcutaneous tissues, deep soft tissues, and internal organs as a result of rupture of blood vessels following impact with a blunt object or surface (as shown below). Two contusions on the skin of the chest. View Media Gallery. A contusion on the arm.

Why do you need to examine tissue from a suspected blunt force injury?

Generally, one may examine tissue from a suspected blunt force injury for 2 reasons: (1) to identify a lesion as a true antemortem lesion and (2) to attempt to date a blunt force injury.

What is the term for a sudden cardiac arrhythmia caused by blunt force?

Alternatively, a child may have little or no evidence of injury on the skin, yet have devastating internal injuries. Commotio cordis, a sudden cardiac arrhythmia caused by blunt impact to the chest -- often by a ball, steering wheel, or some other object -- is another type of blunt force injury.

What is a chop injury?

Chop injuries are sometimes regarded as a variant of blunt force trauma. These injuries result from impact of the skin by a heavy object with a somewhat sharp facet, causing a wound that has attributes of both sharp force and blunt force trauma.

What are the most common cases of blunt force trauma?

For instance, almost all transportation fatalities — including those involving motor vehicle collisions, pedestrians being struck by vehicles, airplane crashes, and boating incidents — result from blunt force trauma. Other deaths resulting from blunt force trauma involve jumping or falling from heights, blast injuries, and being struck by a firm object, such as a fist, crowbar, bat, or ball. Bite wounds and chop injuries may be considered variants of blunt force trauma, sharp force trauma, or a class of injuries untothemselves.

Overview

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. 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.

Classification

Diagnosis

Treatment

Epidemiology

See also