skip to main content

Sucking chest wound deterioration — DipIMC MCQ

Instant feedback + full explanation. One question, done properly.

HardPre-Hospital Trauma ManagementSucking chest wound deteriorationDipIMC

A man with an occlusive dressing over a chest stab wound becomes more breathless and hypotensive. Neck veins are distended and breath sounds are absent on that side. What is the most appropriate immediate action?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: C — Lift the dressing briefly and decompress the chest if tension persists

Option C is correct because An occlusive dressing can contribute to tension physiology, requiring immediate reassessment and decompression. Option B is less appropriate because oxygen may be supportive, but it does not address the defining time-critical problem first; option E is less appropriate because vascular access is useful, but it should not delay the immediate priority. Option A is less appropriate because it is plausible in a different scenario but suboptimal for the features described; option D is less appropriate because delay would increase clinical risk. Clinical pearl: in DipIMC-style questions, the best answer is the intervention that changes outcome earliest in the pre-hospital phase.

Reference: NICE Major Trauma NG39; JRCALC Guidelines