You are on scene at a motor vehicle accident, and your 20-year-old patient is entrapped. He is unconscious, unresponsive, and has a palpable carotid pulse that is weak and thready. His breathing is slow and shallow at four times a minute with equal chest wall expansion. There are no obvious deformity injuries or hemorrhage noted. Fire department on-scene has stabilized the vehicle and provided you and your partner a relatively safe environment to manage the entrapped patient. However, access is limited to the seated patient, and extrication is expected to take another twenty minutes. After having your partner maintain cervical spine stabilization, which of the following would be the best choice for securing the patient's airway?

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Intubate the patient using the blind orotracheal intubation technique to maintain in-line mobilization of the spine, then assist ventilation. Rationale: 1. Blind orotracheal intubation maintains cervical spine immobilization, crucial in trauma cases. 2. Intubation ensures a secure airway and adequate ventilation for the unconscious patient. 3. Assisting ventilation is vital due to the patient's slow and shallow breathing. 4. Nasal airway (A) may not secure the airway effectively in this case. 5. Nasotracheal intubation (B) may not be feasible given limited access and time constraints. 6. King LTD (D) is not the best option when direct laryngoscopy is possible.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: To help lower dangerous potassium levels. Albuterol is a beta-2 agonist that stimulates potassium uptake by cells, reducing serum potassium levels. Nebulized albuterol is effective in treating hyperkalemia by shifting potassium into cells, lowering serum levels. Choices A and B are incorrect as albuterol does not directly impact ventilatory status or metabolic acidosis. Choice C is incorrect as albuterol does not increase available calcium at the cellular level.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Milfeasance. Negligence is divided into three categories: malfeasance, misfeasance, and nonfeasance. Milfeasance is not a recognized category of negligence. Malfeasance refers to intentional wrongdoing, misfeasance refers to negligently performing a legal act, and nonfeasance refers to a failure to act when there is a duty to do so. Milfeasance is not a term used in legal contexts to describe a category of negligence, making it the correct answer.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Central cord syndrome. This syndrome typically presents with weakness or paralysis in the upper extremities and sparing of the lower extremities due to damage to the central spinal cord. In this case, the man's lack of movement in his lower extremities is indicative of central cord syndrome, likely caused by compression or injury to the cervical spinal cord during the tractor accident. The other choices can be ruled out: A) An epidural hematoma would present with signs of increased intracranial pressure, not paralysis in the lower extremities. B) A pelvic fracture would not directly cause paralysis in the lower extremities. D) Intracerebral hemorrhage would typically present with neurological deficits related to the brain, not the spinal cord.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because central venous pressure monitoring is crucial in patients with severe cardiac contusion to guide fluid resuscitation and assess cardiac function. In this scenario, monitoring CVP can help optimize fluid management and prevent fluid overload. A: Patient with a splenic laceration - CVP monitoring is not necessary for this injury. B: Patient with an inhalation injury - CVP monitoring is not specifically indicated for this condition. C: 6-year-old child with a pelvic fracture - While CVP monitoring can be useful in pediatric trauma patients, it is not specifically indicated for a pelvic fracture in a child without signs of hemodynamic instability.