While assessing a patient who was involved in a serious car crash and hit his steering wheel, the respiratory therapist observes that a section of his left anterior chest wall sinks inward during inspiration. What is the most likely cause?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The observed symptom of a section of the chest wall sinking inward during inspiration, known as paradoxical chest movement, is characteristic of flail chest. This condition typically results from trauma that causes multiple adjacent ribs to fracture in multiple places, leading to instability in the chest wall.

While Assessing a Patient Who Was Involved in a Serious