CHAPTER 30 chest injuries

A flail chest occurs when?

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

A simple pneumothorax: Select one: A. heals on its own without any treatment. B. often has a nontraumatic cause. C. is commonly caused by blunt chest trauma. D. is caused by penetrating chest trauma.

C. is commonly caused by blunt chest trauma.

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

C3, C4, C5

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

Myocardial contusion

phernic nerve

Supplies diaphragm

Subcutaneous emphysema is an indication that?

air is escaping into the chest wall from a damaged lung

An open pneumothorax is:

an open chest wound through which air moves during breathing

Patients with rib fractures will commonly?

breathe rapidly and shallowly.

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

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:

may 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.

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.

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

signs and symptoms of shock

Elevation of the rib cage during inhalation occurs when:

the intercostal muscles contract.