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Learn About Conditions and Procedures

What is Trauma?

Trauma is a serious injury or shock to the body. It is caused by a physical force such as violence or an accident. The injury may be complicated by psychiatric, behavioral, and social factors.

It is critical to have an entire team immediately available to provide care to an injured patient 24-hours a day. This teamwork starts at the scene of the injury where a coordinated, statewide pre-hospital medical system rapidly transports the injured patient from the scene to the hospital providing the appropriate level of care according to criteria established in the statewide trauma regulations. Once at the hospital, a complete team of surgeons, emergency physicians and nurses continue the life-saving treatment.

This team approach to care of the injured patient has had a dramatic impact on saving lives.

Minimally Invasive Procedures for Massive Bleeding

Injuries take many forms. The most advanced hospitals can treat injuries with a variety of approaches that involve well-known ones, like surgery, and newer ones where minimally invasive procedures can replace some surgeries.

As a Level 1 Trauma Center, Hartford Hospital has Interventional Radiologists as part of the Trauma Team. They perform procedures such as "embolization" which is a recognized interventional radiology technique that is used to treat trauma patients with massive bleeding.

Click here to see some of the advanced interventional techniques available at Hartford Hospital.

Learn more about trauma, or search below to learn about other health conditions.

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Arterial Blood Gases

by Editorial Staff And Contributors

En Español (Spanish Version)

Definition | Reasons for Test | Possible Complications | What to Expect | Call Your Doctor

Definition

Arterial blood gas is a test to look for gases in the blood.

The Arteries

Reasons for Test

This test determines the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide dissolved in the blood, as well as the acid/base status. Oxygen and carbon dioxide levels are indicators of lung function. The acid/base status provides information on how well the lungs and kidneys are functioning. It can also give information as to whether there is a problem in the body, like an infection, that is throwing off the acid/base balance in the body.

If you are undergoing oxygen therapy, this test can help to see if the therapy is effective.

Possible Complications

Complications are rare, but no procedure is completely free of risk. If you are planning to have an arterial blood gases test, your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:

Bleeding
Bruising
Injury to the artery

Be sure to discuss these risks with your doctor before the test.

What to Expect

If the blood is going to be taken from an artery in the arm, an Allen test will be done. This test will be used to evaluate blood circulation. During the Allen test, the technician will press the radial and ulnar arteries in the wrist. This will cause your palm to turn white. When the arteries are released, the skin will turn pink and flushed. If your skin does not flush within five seconds, this will indicate that you have decreased blood flow to your palm. Another puncture site will need to be chosen.

The puncture site will be swabbed clean. The needle will then be inserted into the selected artery. Blood will be withdrawn. The needle will be removed.

The technician will put pressure on the puncture site for about five minutes. If you take a blood-thinning medicine, it may take longer for the bleeding to stop. Once the bleeding has stopped, a bandage will be placed on the site. You will leave the bandage in place for 30-60 minutes. You will need to keep the site clean.

A few minutes

It may hurt slightly when the needle is inserted.

Based on the test results, your doctor can assess your lung and kidney function.

Call Your Doctor

After the test, call your doctor if any of the following occurs:

Signs of infection, including fever and chills
Bleeding or severe bruising
Weakness, tingling, or numbness of an extremity

In case of an emergency, call for medical help right away.

American Association for Respiratory Care

http://www.aarc.org/

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/

The Canadian Lung Association

http://www.lung.ca/

Health Canada

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index_e.html/

American Association for Respiratory Care website. Available at: http://www.aarc.org.

Blood gases. Lab tests online website. Available at: http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/blood-gases/tab/test. Accessed December 7, 2012.

Last reviewed November 2012 by Michael Woods, MD

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.