Abstract
Trauma may be defined as the effects of external harmful forces that disrupt both the structure and function of the body and is familiar in its various forms such as penetrating, blunt, crush and thermal trauma. The actions of toxic chemicals on the body can be integrated into the various forms of physical trauma as what might be termed ‘toxic trauma’. Toxic trauma can be defined broadly as the disruption of somatic systems and their function by exposure to a toxic chemical. Toxic chemical agents injure through a variety of routes of entry into the body and by affecting several somatic systems. An understanding of the pathophysiogical processes involved is essential to management as is a systematic approach to clinical management that has been the keystone of modern physical trauma management. The chapter considers an integrated approach to trauma and its clinical advantages for management and improved outcome.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsFurther Reading
Advanced Trauma Life Support. http://www.facs.org/trauma/atls/history.atm/. Accessed 21 July 2013
Advanced Hazmat Life Support. http://www.ahls.org.ahls/ecs/main/ahls_home.html. Accessed 21 July 2013
Shamir MY, Weiss YG (eds) (2007) Trauma. Anesthesiol Clin 25(1) (WB Saunders, Philadelphia)
Trunkey DD (1983) Trauma. Sci Am 249:20–27
Urbanetti J, Newmark J (2010) Clinical aspects of large scale chemical events. In: Koenig KL, Schultz CH (eds) Disaster medicine: comprehensive principles and practices. Cambridge University Press, New York
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer-Verlag London
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Baker, D. (2014). Introduction. In: Toxic Trauma. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-5598-0_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-5598-0_1
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-5597-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-5598-0
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)