Chapter 29 --> Chest Injuries

Distended jugular veins, narrowing pulse pressure, and muffled heart tones are collectively known as _______.

Beck's triad

A 19 year old male is unresponsive, apneic, and pulseless after being struck in the center of the chest with a softball. Based on the mechanism of injury, what MOST likely occurred ?

Ventricular fibrillation when the impact occurred during a critical portion of the cardiac cycle

Pneumothorax is defined as:

accumulation of air in the pleural space.

Following blunt trauma to the chest, an 18 year old female presents with respiratory distress, reduced tidal volume, and cyanosis. Her blood pressure is 80/50 mm hg and her pulse is 130 beats/min and thready. You should:

apply some form of presure positive air supply

Patients with rib fractures will commonly:

breathe rapidly and shallowly

Signs and symptoms of a tension pneumothorax include all of the following, EXCEPT: A. profound cyanosis B. collapsed jugular veins C. altered mental status D. unilaterally absent breath sounds

collapsed jugular veins.

You are transporting a stable patient with a possible pneumothorax. The patient is receiving 100% oxygen and has an oxygen saturation of 95%. During your reassessment, you find that the patient is now confused, hypotensive, and profusely diaphoretic. What is MOST likely causing this patient's deterioration?

compression of the aorta and vena cava

Common signs and symptoms of a chest injury include all of the following, EXCEPT: A. tachypnea B. hematesis C. localized pain D. chest wall ecchymosis

hematemesis

the pliability of the pediatric rib cage

increases the risk of internal injury

The MOST critical treatment for a tension pneumothorax involves:

inserting a needle through the rib cage into the pleural space.

hemoptysis indicated damage to the _______.

lungs

where do the esophagus, trachea, and great vessels lie?

mediastinum

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

minute volume will decrease.

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

myocardial contusion.

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

pleurisy

A patient with a chest injury has a blood pressure of 100/60 mm Hg and a pulse rate of 120 beats/min. Which of the following additional findings should make you suspect a pericardial tamponade?

repeats BP of 92/68 mmHg

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

signs and symptoms of shock.

Immediate death from blunt chest trauma following a motor vehicle crash is MOST often the result of:

traumatic aortic rupture

the body's ability to move air in and out of the lungs is called ______________.

ventilation