Question

You respond to a construction site and find a worker lying supine in the dirt. He has been hit by a heavy construction vehicle and flew more than 15 feet (4.6 m) before landing in his current position. There is discoloration and distention of his abdomen about the right upper quadrant. He is unconscious and his respirations are 10 breaths/min and shallow, with noisy gurgling sounds. What method will you use to keep his airway open?

Answer 1

Use the jaw-thrust maneuver without head tilt to maintain an open airway for an unconscious patient with suspected spinal injury, clear obstructions with suction if necessary, and if required, initiate CPR with emphasis on chest compressions and assisted ventilation.

Step-by-step explanation:

When you respond to a construction site and find a worker lying supine with an obvious injury and shallow, gurgling respirations, it's critical to open and maintain the airway to provide proper ventilation. Given that the patient is unconscious and has signs of a potential abdominal injury, the ideal method to keep his airway open is the jaw-thrust maneuver without head tilt, as this minimizes movement of the cervical spine, which may be injured from the reported trauma. If there's a suspected obstruction causing the gurgling noises, such as blood or vomit, a suction device should be used to clear the airway. If the airway cannot be cleared, or if the individual does not resume normal breathing once the airway is open, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) may be necessary, focusing on chest compressions and, if trained and equipped, providing breaths by squeezing air into the lungs with a bag-valve-mask device.