Chapter 28 Face and Neck injuries

Which of the following statements regarding anterior nosebleeds is correct?

They usually originate from the septum area and bleed slowly.

Following blunt trauma to the face, a 21-year-old male complains of a severe headache and decreased ability to move his eyes. This patient's clinical presentation is most consistent with:

a blow-out fracture.

Abnormal variations in pupil size and reaction would most likely be observed in a patient with:

a brain injury.

A young female experienced a laceration to her left eyeball from flying glass when her boyfriend broke a soda bottle against a wall. There is moderate bleeding, and the patient states that she cannot see out of the injured eye. You should:

avoid applying pressure to the globe when you are covering the eye.

The term "hyphema" is defined as:

blood in the anterior chamber of the eye.

A 50-year-old male was splashed in the eyes with radiator fluid when he was working on his car. During your assessment, he tells you that he wears soft contact lenses. You should:

carefully remove the contact lenses and then irrigate his eyes with saline.

A 30-year-old female presents with redness, inflammation, and pain to her left eye. During your assessment, you note that she is having difficulty keeping her eyes open. You should suspect that she is experiencing:

conjunctivitis

A 40-year-old male was in his woodworking shop when he felt a sudden, sharp pain in his left eye. Your assessment reveals a small splinter of wood embedded in his cornea. You should:

cover both of his eyes and transport to the hospital.

Bleeding from soft-tissue injuries to the face is most effectively controlled with:

direct pressure using dry, sterile dressings

A 52-year-old unrestrained female struck the steering wheel with her face when her truck collided with another vehicle. She has obvious swelling to her face and several dislodged teeth. A visual exam of her mouth reveals minimal bleeding. She is conscious and alert with a blood pressure of 130/80 mm Hg, a pulse of 110 beats/min, and respirations of 22 breaths/min with adequate tidal volume. You should:

fully immobilize her spine, attempt to locate the dislodged teeth, suction as needed, and transport.

The cricoid cartilage:

is the only complete circular cartilage of the trachea.

The superficial temporal artery can be palpated:

just anterior to the tragus.

Following direct trauma to the upper part of the anterior neck, a young male presents with labored breathing, loss of voice, and subcutaneous emphysema in the soft tissues around his neck. You should suspect a(n):

laryngeal fracture.

A 29-year-old male has an anterior nosebleed after he was accidentally elbowed in the nose. He is conscious and alert with adequate breathing. The most appropriate care for this patient includes:

leaning him forward and pinching his nostrils together.

Significant trauma to the face should increase the EMT's index of suspicion for a(n):

spinal column injury

Frequent reassessments of the patient with face or neck injuries are most important because:

such injuries can affect the respiratory system.

A 30-year-old female was robbed and assaulted as she was leaving a nightclub. She has massive facial trauma and slow, gurgling respirations. As your partner manually stabilizes her head, you should:

suction her oropharynx.

The Adam's apple is:

the upper part of the larynx that is formed by the thyroid cartilage.

You are transporting an immobilized patient with severe facial trauma. As you are preparing to give your radio report to the hospital, the patient begins vomiting large amounts of blood. You should:

turn the backboard onto its side.

When caring for a patient with an open facial injury, the EMT's immediate priority should be to:

wear gloves and facial protection.