CIEMT Trauma and Assessment Practice Exam

When muscle fibers break down, their contents spill into the bloodstream, with myoglobin being one of the key substances released. This process is called rhabdomyolysis. It occurs after events like crush injuries, extreme exertion, or exposure to toxins, and the released myoglobin can travel to the kidneys, potentially causing pigment nephropathy or acute kidney injury if not managed promptly. Clinically, you may see muscle pain, weakness, swelling, and dark urine from myoglobinuria, and lab tests typically show very high creatine kinase levels.

Avulsion describes tearing off a piece of tissue, which is a different kind of injury. Hemorrhage is bleeding, another distinct issue. Crush syndrome is a related condition that can accompany severe crush injuries and involves systemic effects from massive muscle breakdown, including electrolyte disturbances and kidney stress, but the precise term for the process of muscle breakdown releasing myoglobin is rhabdomyolysis.