Trauma/Emergencies — MCQs

A 25-year-old male wrestler presents to his primary care physician for knee pain. He was in a wrestling match yesterday when he was abruptly taken down. Since then, he has had pain in his left knee. The patient states that at times it feels as if his knee locks as he moves it. The patient has a past medical history of anabolic steroid abuse; however, he claims to no longer be using them. His current medications include NSAIDs as needed for minor injuries from participating in sports. On physical exam, you note medial joint tenderness of the patient’s left knee, as well as some erythema and bruising. The patient has an antalgic gait as you observe him walking. Passive range of motion reveals a subtle clicking of the joint. There is absent anterior displacement of the tibia relative to the femur on an anterior drawer test. The rest of the physical exam, including examination of the contralateral knee is within normal limits. Which of the following structures is most likely damaged in this patient?

A 27-year-old man is brought to the emergency department after a motor vehicle accident. He complains of tingling of his legs, and he is unable to move them. His temperature is 36.5°C (97.7°F), the blood pressure is 110/75 mm Hg, and the pulse is 88/min. On physical examination, pinprick sensation is absent below the umbilicus and there is no rectal tone. Muscle strength in the lower extremities is 1/5 bilaterally. He has 5/5 strength in his bilateral upper extremities. Plain films and computerized tomography (CT) show the displacement of the thoracolumbar vertebrae. Which of the following is the best next step in the management of this patient?

A 55-year-old woman who works as a chef is brought to the hospital for evaluation of burns sustained in a kitchen accident. Physical examination reveals 3rd-degree burns over the anterior surface of the right thigh and the lower limbs, which involve approx. 11% of the total body surface area (TBSA). The skin in the burned areas is thick and painless to touch, and the dorsalis pedis pulses are palpable but weak. Initial fluid resuscitation has been started and the patient is hemodynamically stable. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 59-year-old patient comes to the emergency department accompanied by his wife because of severe right leg pain and numbness. His condition suddenly started an hour ago. His wife says that he has a heart rhythm problem for which he takes a blood thinner, but he is not compliant with his medications. He has smoked 10–15 cigarettes daily for the past 15 years. His temperature is 36.9°C (98.42°F), blood pressure is 140/90 mm Hg, and pulse is 85/min and irregular. On physical examination, the patient is anxious and his right leg is cool and pale. Palpation of the popliteal fossa shows a weaker popliteal pulse on the right side compared to the left side. Which of the following is the best initial step in the management of this patient's condition?

A 45-year-old man presents to the emergency department because of fever and scrotal pain for 2 days. Medical history includes diabetes mellitus and morbid obesity. His temperature is 40.0°C (104.0°F), the pulse is 130/min, the respirations are 35/min, and the blood pressure is 90/68 mm Hg. Physical examination shows a large area of ecchymosis, edema, and crepitus in his perineal area. Fournier gangrene is suspected. A right internal jugular central venous catheter is placed without complication under ultrasound guidance for vascular access in preparation for the administration of vasopressors. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step?

A 75-year-old man is brought to the emergency department because of a 5-hour history of worsening chest pain and dyspnea. Six days ago, he fell in the shower and since then has had mild pain in his left chest. He appears pale and anxious. His temperature is 36.5°C (97.7°F), pulse is 108/min, respirations are 30/min, and blood pressure is 115/58 mm Hg. Pulse oximetry on room air shows an oxygen saturation of 88%. Examination shows decreased breath sounds and dullness to percussion over the left lung base. There is a 3-cm (1.2-in) hematoma over the left lower chest. An x-ray of the chest shows fractures of the left 8th and 9th rib, increased opacity of the left lung, and mild tracheal deviation to the right. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 43-year-old man is brought to the emergency department 25 minutes after being involved in a high-speed motor vehicle collision in which he was a restrained passenger. On arrival, he has shortness of breath and is in severe pain. His pulse is 130/min, respirations are 35/min, and blood pressure is 90/40 mm Hg. Examination shows superficial abrasions and diffuse crepitus at the left shoulder level. Cardiac examination shows tachycardia with no murmurs, rubs, or gallops. The upper part of the left chest wall moves inward during inspiration. Breath sounds are absent on the left. He is intubated and mechanically ventilated. Two large bore intravenous catheters are placed and infusion of 0.9% saline is begun. Which of the following is the most likely cause of his symptoms?

A 32-year-old woman is brought to the emergency department for the evaluation of burn injuries that she sustained after stumbling into a bonfire 1 hour ago. The patient has severe pain in her left leg and torso, and minimal pain in her right arm. She does not smoke cigarettes. She takes no medications. She is tearful and in moderate distress. Her temperature is 37.2°C (99.0°F), pulse is 88/min, respirations are 19/min, and blood pressure is 118/65 mm Hg. Her pulse oximetry is 98% on room air. Cardiopulmonary examination shows no abnormalities. There are two tender, blanchable erythemas without blisters over a 5 x 6 -cm area of the left abdomen and a 3 x 2-cm area of the left anterior thigh. There is also an area of white, leathery skin and tissue necrosis encircling the right upper extremity just proximal to the elbow, which is dry and nontender. An ECG shows normal sinus rhythm with no ST or T wave changes. She is started on intravenous fluids. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 17-year-old boy is brought to the emergency department by his brother after losing consciousness 1 hour ago. The brother reports that the patient was skateboarding outside when he fell on the ground and started to have generalized contractions. There was also some blood coming from his mouth. The contractions stopped after about 1 minute, but he remained unconscious for a few minutes afterward. He has never had a similar episode before. There is no personal or family history of serious illness. He does not smoke or drink alcohol. He does not use illicit drugs. He takes no medications. On arrival, he is confused and oriented only to person and place. He cannot recall what happened and reports diffuse muscle ache, headache, and fatigue. He appears pale. His temperature is 37°C (98.6°F), pulse is 80/min, and blood pressure is 130/80 mm Hg. There is a small wound on the left side of the tongue. A complete blood count and serum concentrations of electrolytes, urea nitrogen, and creatinine are within the reference ranges. Toxicology screening is negative. An ECG shows no abnormalities. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 25-year-old man comes to the physician because of right-sided painless scrotal swelling that he noticed yesterday while taking a shower. He is currently sexually active with two female partners and uses condoms inconsistently. He immigrated to the US from Argentina 2 years ago. His immunization records are unavailable. He has smoked one pack of cigarettes daily for the last 5 years. He is 170 cm (5 ft 7 in) tall and weighs 70 kg (154 lb); BMI is 24.2 kg/m2. He appears healthy and well nourished. His temperature is 37°C (98.6°F), pulse is 72/min, and blood pressure is 125/75 mm Hg. The lungs are clear to auscultation. Cardiac examination shows no abnormalities. The abdomen is soft with dull lower abdominal discomfort. Testicular examination shows a solid mass in the right testis that is firm and nontender. A light held behind the scrotum does not shine through. The mass is not reduced when the patient is in a supine position. The remainder of the physical examination shows no abnormalities. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis in this patient?