Internal Bleeding can Occur as a Result of Motor Vehicle Accidents
Anyone who has driven a car or truck understands that injuries are a possibility anytime someone gets behind the wheel of a car. Even the most minor of car accidents can lead to serious injuries.
One of the most dangerous injuries that could result from a car accident is internal bleeding. This can place a patient in dire circumstances quickly, especially if the car or truck accident is severe.
What is Internal Bleeding?
Many people have heard the term internal bleeding but some people still don’t quite understand what internal bleeding is. The blood is transported to different places in the body through a sophisticated plumbing system. A cut to these blood vessels could cause people to bleed into the external environment; however, these blood vessels could be damaged inside of the body and blood could leak into the chest cavity, abdominal cavity, or elsewhere. This still represents blood loss and is harder to stop because it is contained within the body.
What are the Signs of Internal Bleeding?
When someone is injured in a car accident, the sudden forces applied to different areas of the body could shear blood vessels apart. When people bleed internally, they will notice severe pain and bruising over the abdominal area. People may also notice that the pain gets worse with movement. Any of these symptoms merit immediate medical attention.
How is Internal Bleeding Diagnosed?
When someone arrives at the emergency department with internal bleeding, the physician will immediately perform an ultrasound. The physician will check around the chest, abdominal cavity, and kidney areas. If there is fluid in the abdomen, this means that the suspicion for internal bleeding is high and treatment will proceed immediately.
How is Internal Bleeding Treated?
If there is suspicion for internal bleeding, the patient will be rushed to the operating room immediately because internal bleeding rarely stops without surgical intervention. On the way, the patient will receive intravenous fluids to counteract the fluid loss from the bleeding. Based on the results of the ultrasound, the surgeon will make an incision and open up the area where the bleeding has been coming from. Once inside, the surgeon will locate the bleeding blood vessels and tie off the bleeding to stop the blood loss. Depending on the amount of blood that has already been lost, the patient may require a blood transfusion to restore the lost blood. Most patients make a full recovery but it could take some time to recover from the surgical procedure.
Anyone who has been injured in a car or truck accident should contact a legal professional for guidance. An experienced legal professional may be able to provide assistance with expensive medical bills and rehabilitation expenses.
