A 40-year-old climber falls 8 metres onto rocks. He is breathless, has paradoxical movement of a segment of the left chest wall and oxygen

Question

A 40-year-old climber falls 8 metres onto rocks. He is breathless, has paradoxical movement of a segment of the left chest wall and oxygen saturations of 88% despite high-flow oxygen. What is the most appropriate management?

Accepted Answer

Support ventilation and request critical care support for flail chest with respiratory failure

Answer

Place him prone to splint the injured chest wall

Answer

Give Entonox as the main treatment and walk him out

Answer

Decompress the chest despite equal breath sounds and stable pulse

Answer

Bind the chest tightly to stop paradoxical movement

Flail chest — DipIMC MCQ

A 40-year-old climber falls 8 metres onto rocks. He is breathless, has paradoxical movement of a segment of the left chest wall and oxygen saturations of 88% despite high-flow oxygen. What is the most appropriate management?