Question

You respond to a one-vehicle car crash in a remote area. Upon assessment of the driver, you note the patient to be in acute respiratory distress with absent breath sounds on the right side, jugular vein distention and hyperresonance to percussion on the right chest wall. You should:

Answer 1

The patient likely suffers from a traumatic pneumothorax and requires immediate medical intervention including oxygen administration and needle decompression, followed by urgent transportation to a medical facility.

Step-by-step explanation:

The patient in this scenario is showing signs suggestive of a traumatic pneumothorax, which is a medical emergency often caused by chest trauma leading to the accumulation of air in the pleural space. This condition can be identified by symptoms such as acute respiratory distress, absent breath sounds on the affected side, jugular vein distention, and hyperresonance on chest percussion. Immediate medical interventions should include administering high-flow oxygen and preparing for emergency needle decompression followed by chest tube insertion, performed by qualified medical personnel to relieve the pressure and enable the lung to re-expand. Transport to the nearest medical facility is paramount.