FireEMT2009 Posted December 17, 2011 Author Posted December 17, 2011 What is DIC? Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation. It is where something traumatic or other reasons that causes the blood to start clotting throughout the body in the capillaries. It can cause DVT, heart attacks, strokes, etc. Your body will continue to clot until your body runs out of the clotting factors in its blood and once that happens your blood will no longer clot and any cut will not stop bleeding because of the lack of clotting factors. It is like hemophillia but is caused secondary to something else. This scenario actually is DIC, I wrote a 18 page research paper on it and had to present a scenario on it to my paramedic class to see how they would treat it. The scenario ya'll have been running through is the exact same scenario I wrote and presented. Up to 60% of all OB/GYN emergencies such as, abrutpo placentae, fetal demise with prolonged carrying of the deceased fetus; also trauma or sepsis can cause it. When you mentioned toxic shock syndrome earlier it made me laugh because I wrote another research paper on it a couple of semesters ago. Our papers required us to research the patho, etiology, epidemology, and prehospital treatment for it. 2
DFIB Posted December 17, 2011 Posted December 17, 2011 Fire EMT 2009 The scenario ya'll have been running through is the exact same scenario I wrote and presented. I must say this is a bad to the bone scenario. This thread has been very entertaining and educational. Very well run. You did not hide any details or spring new and obscure symptoms midstream. Scary as all get out. The kind of calls dreams are made of, bad dreams. I had never heard of DIC before but am all over reading up on it now. Can Toxic Shock present without fever?
FireEMT2009 Posted December 17, 2011 Author Posted December 17, 2011 (edited) I must say this is a bad to the bone scenario. This thread has been very entertaining and educational. Very well run. You did not hide any details or spring new and obscure symptoms midstream. Scary as all get out. The kind of calls dreams are made of, bad dreams. I had never heard of DIC before but am all over reading up on it now. Can Toxic Shock present without fever? Every disease can show up without certain symptoms. Toxic shock syndrome stems from staph aureous or streptococcus group A bacteria that enters the blood stream which will cause widespread, rapid, and rampid sepsis. The two bacteria I mention is usually found on the skin all the time. Both of these bacteria can also cause necrotizing facitus. Both of which made very interesting research papers. And thanks for the feedback I'm glad you enjoyed and learned alot from the scenario. To get a better view of the "rash" that I mentioned earlier go to google images and search disseminated intravascular coagulation and it will show you the pictures of the "rash". And since I'm still considered a BLS provider until I test for my medic I love to get both BLS and ALS providers treatment plans because everyone thinks differently and will pick up stuff that others missed. Edited December 17, 2011 by FireEMT2009 2
island emt Posted December 17, 2011 Posted December 17, 2011 Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation. It is where something traumatic or other reasons that causes the blood to start clotting throughout the body in the capillaries. It can cause DVT, heart attacks, strokes, etc. Your body will continue to clot until your body runs out of the clotting factors in its blood and once that happens your blood will no longer clot and any cut will not stop bleeding because of the lack of clotting factors. It is like hemophillia but is caused secondary to something else. This scenario actually is DIC, I wrote a 18 page research paper on it and had to present a scenario on it to my paramedic class to see how they would treat it. The scenario ya'll have been running through is the exact same scenario I wrote and presented. Up to 60% of all OB/GYN emergencies such as, abrutpo placentae, fetal demise with prolonged carrying of the deceased fetus; also trauma or sepsis can cause it. Our papers required us to research the patho, etiology, epidemology, and prehospital treatment for it. It sounds like you are enrolled in a top quality Paramedicine program ! The really bad part about this call is how far behind the curve the Pt was when EMS was called. She was de-compensating and had already passed over the downhill threshold. The fluid challenge's and massive doses of platelets and packed RBC's might reverse the syndrome. But it sounds like this might not of had a good outcome. Great scenario and presentation 2009. Now I'll toddle back to my park bench and let the kids play some more. :-}
FireEMT2009 Posted December 17, 2011 Author Posted December 17, 2011 It sounds like you are enrolled in a top quality Paramedicine program ! The really bad part about this call is how far behind the curve the Pt was when EMS was called. She was de-compensating and had already passed over the downhill threshold. The fluid challenge's and massive doses of platelets and packed RBC's might reverse the syndrome. But it sounds like this might not of had a good outcome. Great scenario and presentation 2009. Now I'll toddle back to my park bench and let the kids play some more. :-} Yea she needed clotting factors and blood trasfusions stat, though unfortunately we do not carry those on ambulances, at least not yet. The program I am in is a bachelors that allows students to concentrate in firefighter/paramedic studies or critical care paramedic studes. I am glad you enjoyed it. I will continue posting more scenarios like this. I have one in mind that I will start up soon.
FireEMT2009 Posted December 17, 2011 Author Posted December 17, 2011 I must say this is a bad to the bone scenario. This thread has been very entertaining and educational. Very well run. You did not hide any details or spring new and obscure symptoms midstream. Scary as all get out. The kind of calls dreams are made of, bad dreams. I had never heard of DIC before but am all over reading up on it now. Can Toxic Shock present without fever? Also Defib I thought I would mention it this: Don't gender dependant toxic shock syndrome. Males from my research get it more often than females and you can also see it in children. It is rare that you will ever see it. The tampon related toxic shock syndrome cases that were found in the 80s made it seem like only women could get it.
DFIB Posted December 17, 2011 Posted December 17, 2011 You know, none of us mentioned keeping this patient warm. OOPPS!
croaker260 Posted December 17, 2011 Posted December 17, 2011 Yea she needed clotting factors and blood trasfusions stat, though unfortunately we do not carry those on ambulances, at least not yet. The program I am in is a bachelors that allows students to concentrate in firefighter/paramedic studies or critical care paramedic studes. I am glad you enjoyed it. I will continue posting more scenarios like this. I have one in mind that I will start up soon. Yea she needed clotting factors and blood trasfusions stat, though unfortunately we do not carry those on ambulances, at least not yet. The program I am in is a bachelors that allows students to concentrate in firefighter/paramedic studies or critical care paramedic studes. I am glad you enjoyed it. I will continue posting more scenarios like this. I have one in mind that I will start up soon. Which program are you enrolled in?
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