A patient's condition has deteriorated.Changes in condition include trachea shift, absence of breath sounds on the left side, and hypotension.A chest tube was inserted on the left side with 1800 mL of blood removed.The nurse expects that the patient will be taken to surgery for a
A) thoracotomy.
B) cardiac tamponade..
C) splenectomy.
D) pneumothorax.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Thoracotomy may be necessary for patients who require persistent blood transfusions or who have significant bleeding (200 mL/hr for 2 to 4 hours or more than 1500 mL on initial tube insertion)or when there are injuries to major cardiovascular structures.

A Patient's Condition Has Deteriorated