AIRWAY
This airway opening maneuver protects the cervical spine by lifting the angles of the mandible without requiring neck extension.
What is the Jaw Thrust Maneuver?
This life-threatening chest injury presents with hypotension, tracheal deviation away from the affected side, and unilaterally diminished or absent breath sounds.
What is a tension pneumothorax?
This bedside ultrasound technique evaluates for life-threatening intra-abdominal or pericardial hemorrhage in unstable trauma patients.
What is FAST (Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma)?
This 3-part scoring system is used in ATLS to rapidly evaluate a trauma patient's level of consciousness.
What is the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)?
This is the primary reason the "Exposure" step mandates the complete removal of all clothing from the trauma patient.
What is the identification of hidden, occult, or life-threatening injuries?
This manual, non-invasive maneuver is the ATLS preferred method for opening the airway in a trauma patient to prevent neck manipulation and protect the cervical spine.
What is the Jaw Thrust maneuver
This injury requires two or more ribs to be fractured in two or more places, leading to paradoxical chest wall movement.
What is a flail chest?
A trauma patient presenting with neck vein distension, hypotension, and muffled heart tones indicates this immediate life-threat.
What is cardiac tamponade?
The AVPU scale is an alternative to GCS in the primary survey. If a patient requires painful stimuli to open their eyes, they are categorized under this letter.
What is P? For Bonus Points, what does AVPU stand for?
When examining the posterior surfaces of a trauma patient to look for hidden injuries, the medical team must ensure this crucial step is continuously maintained.
What is cervical spine immobilization/protection?
This physical exam finding demonstrates as a crackling sensation under the skin, indicating air is leaking from the torn airway into surrounding tissues.
What is Crepitus?
This life-threatening condition is defined by the accumulation of at least 1,500 mL of blood in the thoracic cavity, resulting in shock and dullness to percussion.
What is a massive hemothorax?
According to modern ATLS guidelines, this life-saving hemorrhage control technique takes priority before assessing the standard ABCDE airway sequence in cases of severe external hemorrhage.
What is the application of a Tourniquet?
Rapid neurologic deterioration, dilated pupils, worsening headache pain and recurrent vomiting are all signs of this impending process.
What is brain herniation?
Hidden bleeding from posterior or easily missed sites of injury.
What are the axillae, perineum, gluteal cleft, and the back?
This visual physical sign in the neck—caused by a laryngeal or tracheal injury—demands urgent definitive airway management.
What is Subcutaneous Emphysema?
The physical exam sign of tracheal deviation in a tension pneumothorax goes in which direction.
What is away from the affected side?
This skin discoloration occurs early in hemorrhagic shock due to vasocontriction and loss of oxygen carrying red blood cells.
What is Pallor?
Your disability survey shows a patient opening his eyes to sound, confused when answering questions, and localizing to pain. He would have this GCS score.
What is a GCS of 13?
Because vasoconstriction and impaired clotting function worsen hemorrhage, ATLS guidelines require aggressive reversal of this core temperature complication.
What is Hypothermia? For Bonus points, what other two complications make up the Lethal Triad?
If an intubated trauma patient begins to show declining oxygen saturation and asymmetric breath sounds, what complication should the team immediately rule out?
What is ight mainstem bronchus intubation (or Pneumothorax)?
According to Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS), what is the correct anatomical site for performing an emergent needle decompression of a tension pneumothorax?
What is the 5th intercostal space just anterior to the mid-axillary line (or the 2nd intercostal space in the mid-clavicular line).
In an otherwise healthy, \(70\text{ kg}\) adult male, this class of hemorrhagic shock represents a blood loss of greater than \(2,000\text{ mL}\) (or \(>40\%\)).
What is Class IV Hemorrhagic Shock?
Clear fluid rhinorrhea or otorrhea, ecchymosis around the mastoid (Battle's sign), and periorbital ecchymosis (raccoon eyes) are classic diagnostic indicators of this type of fracture.
What is a basilar skull fracture?
During exposure and environmental control, ATLS guidelines recommend aiming for this core body temperature range and actively discontinuing external rewarming if the patient exceeds this number to avoid hyperthermia.
What is 36°C to 37°C?