Trauma & Life Support Procedures Flashcards

A patient struck by a vehicle has periorbital ecchymosis (raccoon eyes) and Battle's sign. These findings suggest:

Answer: Basilar skull fracture

Raccoon eyes and Battle's sign (mastoid ecchymosis) are classic delayed signs of basilar skull fracture.

During rapid trauma assessment of an unresponsive patient, you find clear fluid draining from the nose. This is most concerning for:

Answer: Cerebrospinal fluid leak from basilar skull fracture

Clear fluid from the nose or ears after head trauma may represent CSF leakage, indicating a basilar skull fracture.

You are ventilating an apneic trauma patient with a BVM. Which sign would alert you to possible tension pneumothorax?

Answer: Increasing resistance during BVM ventilation with absent breath sounds on one side

Progressively increasing resistance to BVM ventilation combined with unilateral absent breath sounds is a key sign of tension pneumothorax.

A construction worker fell 20 feet and landed on his feet. After managing immediate life threats, which additional injuries should you specifically assess for?

Answer: Calcaneal fractures, lumbar compression fractures, and wrist fractures

A fall landing on the feet (Don Juan mechanism) classically causes calcaneal fractures, lumbar compression fractures, and wrist fractures from outstretched arms.

When performing cricothyrotomy (surgical airway), you identify the cricothyroid membrane by locating it:

Answer: Between the thyroid and cricoid cartilages in the midline

The cricothyroid membrane lies between the thyroid cartilage superiorly and the cricoid cartilage inferiorly in the midline of the neck.

A patient with blunt abdominal trauma reports referred pain to the left shoulder with palpation of the left upper quadrant. This finding (Kehr's sign) most suggests injury to the:

Answer: Spleen

Kehr's sign is left shoulder pain caused by diaphragmatic irritation from blood pooling under the left hemidiaphragm, classically associated with splenic injury.

During CPR, you note that chest compressions are causing a palpable pulse but the monitor shows ventricular fibrillation. Your immediate next action is:

Answer: Deliver defibrillation as soon as possible after confirming the rhythm

Ventricular fibrillation requires immediate defibrillation regardless of pseudo-pulses generated by CPR; the palpable pulse is from compressions, not cardiac output.