Question

A young woman was brought into the emergency room after falling on her outstretched arm. Her forearm bruised both anteriorly and posteriorly along most of its length. You determine that she has dislocated the head of the radius but that it spontaneously relocated. What persistent injury is responsible for the bruising?

a) Strain
b) Sprain
c) Ligament tear
d) Torn blood vessels

Answer 1

The extensive bruising on the forearm after falling on an outstretched arm with a spontaneously relocated radial head dislocation suggests torn blood vessels are responsible for the bruising.

Step-by-step explanation:

The persistent injury responsible for the bruising in a young woman who fell on her outstretched arm and dislocated the head of the radius is most likely torn blood vessels. The fact that there is bruising along most of the length of the forearm both anteriorly and posteriorly indicates widespread damage to the blood vessels beneath the skin. Strains, sprains, and ligament tears would not cause this extensive bruising pattern; instead, they are more localized to the site of the injury. Therefore, the correct answer is d) Torn blood vessels.