7/28/2019 Boston bomber's life-threatening trauma

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IN MINUTES News and events visually

SUSAN BATSFORD, GRAPHICS EDITOR, TWITTER @SBATS1; INFOGRAPHIC BY MEGANDINNER/QMI AGENCY LIKE US ON FACEBOOK: FACEBOOK.COM/QMIGRAPHICS

LINGUALTONSILS

Assist in production ofantibodies to fight infections

Nose

Mouth

TONGUEEnables you to talk,

swallow and taste

LARYNXCommonly called the voice box, sound is generated here

Front view

area

GLOTTISVocal folds (cords) and the space between them

SIDE VIEW

Deadly traumaA look at the bodyssystems in the throat

FRONT VIEW

Spine

Softpalate

Trachea

Thyroidcartilage

Adenoids

Airway blockageand extreme rapid

blood loss posethe mostimmediate risksto life with apenetratingwound to thethroat.

THYROID GLAND

Helps make energy, keep body temperatureregulated and assists other organs

ESOPHAGUSTube that carriesfood, liquid andsaliva from yourmouth to thestomach; about9 long

JUGULAR

VEINBrings deoxygen-ated blood fromhead back toheart

CAROTID

ARTERYDelivers newlyoxygenatedblood from heartto head and neck

Death can occurwithin minutes of

a cut to eithermajor bloodpathway; bloodwill spray from a

carotid arteryinjury, but not ajugular injury.

PALATINE TONSILSCan be seen on left and right sides atback of throat; assist in production ofantibodies to fight infections

EPIGLOTTISThin flap that covers entrance

to larynx during swallowing,preventing food from entering

trachea

THYROID CARTILAGEBump (Adams apple) in front of throat, protects vocal cords

VOCAL FOLDSTwin mucous membranes (commonly called vocal cords)

stretched across the larynx that vibrate, helping to createsound; also prevent food, drink and saliva from entering thewindpipe

Captured Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is in the hospital unable to speak due to severeneck injuries. His wounds are described as serious and he is on a ventilator.

Few emergencies pose as great a challenge as neck trauma.Because many of the bodys systems

(e.g., airway, vascular,neurological, gastro-intestinal) are all withina compact area, a singlepenetrating wound iscapable of considerableharm.

SPINAL CORDDescends from the braindown the middle of the back.

Connects your brain to the nervesthroughout the body.

If the spinal cord is damaged, thenquadriplegia or other neurological

problems may occur. Death may alsooccur.

TRACHEAAlso called thewindpipe, its atube thatconnects the noseand mouth tolungs

Any damage ispotentiallylife-threatening

because of its rolein respiration.