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Tension pneumothorax — DIPIMC MCQ

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ModeratePre-Hospital TraumaTension pneumothoraxDIPIMCDipIMC

A 24-year-old has been stabbed in the left chest. Over a few minutes he becomes increasingly distressed, with a respiratory rate of 36 and oxygen saturations of 84 percent. His trachea is deviated to the right, breath sounds are absent on the left, the neck veins are distended and he is hypotensive.

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Correct answer: A — Perform immediate chest decompression on the left side.

These features indicate a tension pneumothorax, which is a clinical diagnosis requiring immediate decompression rather than imaging. Positive-pressure ventilation applied before decompression can worsen the tension and precipitate cardiac arrest. After decompression the definitive management is insertion of a chest drain.

Reference: ATACC Guidelines