Chest Injuries:

A flail chest occurs when:

A segment of the chest wall is detached from the thoracic cage

Pneumothorax is defined as:

Accumulation of air in the pleural space

Subcutaneous emphysema is an indication that:

Air is escaping into the chest wall from a damaged lung

The phrenic nerves control the diaphragm and exit the spinal cord at:

C3, C4, and C5

Signs and symptoms of a tension pneumothorax include all of the following except:

Collapsed jugular veins

The thoracic cavity is separated from the abdominal cavity by the:

Diaphragm

A simple pneumothorax:

Is commonly caused by blunt chest trauma

Which of the following organs or structures does not reside within the mediastinum?

Lungs

When a person is lying supine at the end of exhalation, the diaphragm:

Might rise as high as the nipple line

If a person's tidal volume decreases, but his or her respiratory rate remains unchanged:

Minute volume will decrease

If a patient with a chest injury only inhales small amounts of air per breath, he or she:

Must increase his or her respiratory rate to maintain adequate minute volume

The ______________ nerves supply the diaphragm:

Phrenic

Irritation or damage to the pleural surfaces that causes sharp chest pain during inhalation is called:

Pleurisy

A patient who presents with profound cyanosis following a chest injury:

Requires prompt ventilation and oxygenation

Elevation of the rib cage during inhalation occurs when:

The intercostal muscles contract

An open pneumothorax is:

an open chest wound through which air moves during breathing

Patients with rib fractures will commonly:

breathe rapidly and shallowly.

Hemoptysis is defined as:

coughing up blood

A rapid, irregular pulse following blunt trauma to the chest is most suggestive of a:

myocardial contusion

When assessing a patient with a hemothorax, you will most likely find:

signs and symptoms of shock