Understanding Poly-Trauma and Blast Exposure

  

Date Posted: 2/5/2018 4:36:03 AM

Posted By: kenya5060  Membership Level: Bronze  Total Points: 32

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Poly-trauma is a condition in which the bodies’ organ systems and physical regions have developed injuries (Faist & Heberer, 2006). Injuries that define poly-trauma can be life threatening to victims. These injuries risk the victims psycho-social, psychological cognitive, and patients functional ability. Poly-trauma and blast exposure are commonly found together. When defense personnel and veterans are exposed to military explosions that are more powerful they are more often likely to experience poly-traumatic injuries. Such exposure can cause penetration of blast injuries to the body and to the brain. Military explosions exposure may as well cause severe hemorrhage that comes from internal injuries and penetration. Higher rates of poly-trauma and blast exposure directly undermine troop’s retention and readiness (Spiro & Tun, 2013). Both poly-trauma and blast exposure do display serious health issues to veterans and significantly undermines their combat operations. Victims of poly-trauma and blast exposure are more likely to sustain traumatic brain injury through their lifespan.
The traumatic brain injury can be attributed to some common signs which include physical symptoms, cognitive symptoms and emotional symptoms. Emotional symptoms include; mood swings, anxiety, depression and irritability. Cognitive signs portrayed by traumatic brain injury include; slowed thinking, attention problems, concentration problems and difficulties in finding even common words. Physical symptoms attributed to traumatic brain injury include; sensitivity to light, visual disturbances, balance problems, dizziness, headaches, fatigue, nausea and even vomiting. Veterans and military personnel who develop multiple concussions pose a higher risk for early dementia. A concussion increases the risk for prolonged neurologic damage.

Assessment tools and interventions
a. Intracranial Pressure (ICP) monitoring
This is a vital and helpful tool that can monitor and diagnose therapeutic modality in case of very severe injuries in the head (Spiro & Tun, 2013).
b. Carotid angiogram
This tool can be essential to intervene in case of some penetrating developed injuries. It

can be used to intervene in case of bullet injuries.
c. Occupational therapy evaluation
Occupational therapy can be used to assess how poly trauma and blast exposure can impact performance skills in terms of; cognitive, physical and psychological attributes. Occupational therapy evaluation can be used to determine the extent of the pandemic in terms of environmental impact, potential barriers and factors for performance.

Intervention
Occupational therapy, carotid radiogram and ICP monitoring all have the goal to restore patient’s earlier performance and their ability to participate in helpful activities and valued roles. Patients are integrated into concepts that motivate them. Based on their needs and wishes patients are involved in a range of interventions that gives them a sense of purpose (Taber & Hurley, 2006). Patients are given attention to their impaired functional abilities. Such transition aims for patients’ dependency, recovery and active routine participation in helpful activities. Therefore, medical practitioners have the role to manage poly-trauma patients’ in order to ensure their survivability. All this tools and intervention represent the ultimate efforts for minimizing poly-trauma disruptions and impairment to effective functional performances.

In conclusion, I would use CT scan as an assessment tool to intervene for a poly trauma and blast exposure patients. This is because CT scan has proved to be the most vital diagnostic tool for such patients (Taber & Hurley, 2006). CT scan is important in the case of deterioration on the patient’s neurological status. For example, I would involve patients for a CT scan in order to determine their localized signs and symptoms. For example, amnesia, loss of consciousness, depression e.tc.

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