Practice Quiz

NREMT Paramedic Trauma Exam Prep

Category - Paramedic Trauma

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Your patient was struck by a blunt object across the chest. The patient is awake and alert, but complaining of mild dyspnea and pain at the site of impact.

Upon palpation of the chest, there is an area of the ribs that is tender to palpation and is soft. Lung sounds over the affected area reveal mild rhonchi, but are clear in other areas.

What is most likely diagnosis?
  1. Pulmonary contusion
  2. Hemothorax
  3. Pericardial tamponade
  4. Tension pneumothorax
Explanation
Answer: A - Pulmonary contusion typically presents with dyspnea, adventitious lung sounds, pain from the trauma, and a suspicion from mechanism of injury.

More severe cases of pulmonary contusion may present with hypoxemia and hemoptysis. This can be distinguished from a hemothorax or pneumothorax by auscultation of the lungs and consideration of the mechanism of injury.
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