A patient who was an unrestrained driver in a high-speed, head-on motor vehicle collision presents with dyspnea, tachycardia, hypotension, jugular venous distention, tracheal deviation to the left, and decreased breath sounds on the right side
What is the most likely diagnosis?
a. Tension pneumothorax
b. Cardiac tamponade
c. Simple pneumothorax
d. Ruptured diaphragm
A
Clinical manifestations of a tension pneumothorax include dyspnea, tachycardia, hypotension, and sudden chest pain extending to the shoulders. Patients with cardiac tamponade will not have unilateral decreased breath sounds. Neither a simple pneumothorax nor a ruptured diaphragm will result in hypotension, jugular venous distention, or tracheal deviation unless it goes untreated.
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