Trauma

The narrow segment just distal to the left subclavian artery, tethered by the ligamentum arteriosum

A memory aid for the site of traumatic aortic injury.

Features suggesting malignancy, infection, fracture or cauda equina

A memory aid for the sinister causes of back pain.

Bruising behind the ear, base of skull fracture's here

Mnemonic for the clinical sign and significance of Battle's sign.

Rule of nines for area, Parkland formula for fluid

A memory aid for estimating burn size and calculating fluid replacement.

Immediate scanning criteria and the one hour and eight hour rules

A memory aid for who needs a CT head after a head injury.

Cullen's is periumbilical bruising; Grey Turner's is flank bruising

A mnemonic for the two bruising signs of retroperitoneal haemorrhage.

Extended FAST

FAST protocol plus additional views to assess for pneumothorax

Epidural is a lens, subdural is a banana

Mnemonic for the imaging shapes of epidural and subdural bleeds.

Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma

Rapid bedside ultrasound protocol assessing free fluid in four views

Extradural, subdural, subarachnoid and intracerebral, each with a characteristic vessel and shape

A memory aid for the patterns of intracranial bleeding.

Blood early, in balanced ratios, with tranexamic acid

A memory aid for the management of massive blood loss.

The six Ps: pain, pallor, pulselessness, perishing cold, paraesthesia, paralysis

A mnemonic for assessing the acutely ischaemic or injured limb.

Black eyes with no punch thrown, anterior fossa fracture shown

Mnemonic for the clinical sign and significance of raccoon eyes.

Above the arcuate line it is contained; below it, blood can spread freely

A memory aid for why a rectus sheath haematoma behaves differently above and below the arcuate line.

Upper ribs suggest severe force, lower ribs threaten abdominal organs, multiple ribs risk flail chest

A memory aid for the significance of rib fractures at different levels.

Gas on both sides of the bowel wall makes it visible as a thin line

A memory aid for the radiological signs of free intraperitoneal gas.

A one-way valve traps air, raising intrathoracic pressure and obstructing venous return

A memory aid for why a tension pneumothorax causes cardiovascular collapse.

Catastrophic haemorrhage first, then Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure

A mnemonic for the ATLS primary survey in trauma.

Lateral border of pectoralis major, anterior border of latissimus dorsi, and a line above the fifth intercostal space

A memory aid for the boundaries of the safe triangle for chest drain insertion.