A 45-year-old man is brought to the emergency department after a car accident with pain in the middle of his chest and some shortness of breath. He has sustained injuries to his right arm and leg. He did not lose consciousness. His temperature is 37°C (98.6°F), pulse is 110/min, respirations are 18/min, and blood pressure is 90/60 mm Hg. He is alert and oriented to person, place, and time. Examination shows several injuries to the upper extremities and chest. There are jugular venous pulsations 10 cm above the sternal angle. Heart sounds are faint on cardiac examination. The lungs are clear to auscultation. An ECG is shown. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?
AContrast-enhanced CT angiography
BTransthoracic echocardiography
CX-ray of the chest
DCT scan of the brain
EContrast esophagram with gastrografin
A 24-year-old man is brought to the emergency department after being involved in a motor vehicle accident as an unrestrained driver. He was initially found unconscious at the scene but, after a few minutes, he regained consciousness. He says he is having difficulty breathing and has right-sided pleuritic chest pain. A primary trauma survey reveals multiple bruises and lacerations on the anterior chest wall. His temperature is 36.8°C (98.2°F), blood pressure is 100/60 mm Hg, pulse is 110/min, and respiratory rate is 28/min. Physical examination reveals a penetrating injury just below the right nipple. Cardiac examination is significant for jugular venous distention. There is also an absence of breath sounds on the right with hyperresonance to percussion. A bedside chest radiograph reveals evidence of a collapsed right lung with depression of the right hemidiaphragm and tracheal deviation to the left. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in the management of this patient?
ATube thoracostomy at the 2nd intercostal space, midclavicular line
BTube thoracostomy at the 5th intercostal space, midclavicular line
CTube thoracostomy at the 5th intercostal space, anterior axillary line
DNeedle thoracostomy at the 5th intercostal space, midclavicular line
ENeedle thoracostomy at the 2nd intercostal space, midclavicular line
A 22-year-old soldier sustains a gunshot wound to the left side of the chest during a deployment in Syria. The soldier and her unit take cover from gunfire in a nearby farmhouse, and a combat medic conducts a primary survey of her injuries. She is breathing spontaneously. Two minutes after sustaining the injury, she develops severe respiratory distress. On examination, she is agitated and tachypneic. There is an entrance wound at the midclavicular line at the 2nd rib and an exit wound at the left axillary line at the 4th rib. There is crepitus on the left side of the chest wall. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?
AEndotracheal intubation
BIntravenous administration of fentanyl
CUltrasonography of the chest
DAdministration of supplemental oxygen
ENeedle thoracostomy
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