SAQ 387 – Airway – anterior neck trauma with possible airway injury

You are the consultant in a regional emergency department without anaesthetics or ENT surgical services. A 24-year-old man presents 10 minutes after riding his motorcycle into a plain wire fence. He has throat pain and a linear bruise across the anterior neck. The nearest ENT service is 30 minutes away by road.

List four (4) signs, other than bruising, that suggest airway injury.

(Marked out of 4.0)

/ 4

Give two (2) advantages and two (2) disadvantages of intubating him before transfer.

(Marked out of 4.0)
</p> <table class="saq-prop-table"> <thead> <tr> <th></th> <th>Points</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>Advantages</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Disadvantages</td> <td></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>

/ 4

If you proceed to intubation, give three (3) ways this intubation differs from a standard RSI and explain why.

(Marked out of 6.0)
</p> <table class="saq-prop-table"> <thead> <tr> <th>Variation from standard RSI</th> <th>Reason</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>1.</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>2.</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>3.</td> <td></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>

/ 6

Besides the airway, list other vital structures that may be injured by this mechanism.

(Marked out of 4.0)

/ 4

Total Score: 0 / 18

Percentage: 0%