ATLS POST TEST QUESTIONS AND ( ANSWERS)

ATLS POST TEST 2026-2027

QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS

WITH RATIONALES ( ANSWERS)

1. Cardiac tamponade after trauma

a. is seldom life-threatening

b. can be excluded by an upright, AP chest x-ray

c. can be confused with a tension pneumothorax

d. causes a fall in systolic pressure of > 15 mm Hg with expiration

e. most commonly occurs after blunt injury to the anterior chest wall

2. Which one of the following statements regarding patients with thoracic spine

injuries is TRUE?

a. Log-rolling may be destabilizing to fractures from T-12 to L-1.

b. Adequate immobilization can be accomplished with the scoop stretcher.

c. Spinal cord injury below T-10 usually spares bowel and bladder function.

d. Hyperflexion fractures in the upper thoracic spine are inherently

unstable.

e. These patients rarely present with spinal shock in association with cord

injury.

3. Absence of breath sounds and dullness to percussion over the left hemithorax

are fmdings best explained by

a. Left hemothorax.

b.

c.

d.

e.

f.

g. cardiac contusion

h. left simple pneumothorax

i. left diaphragmatic rupture

j. right tension pneumothorax.

4. A young man sustains a gunshot wound to the abdomen and is brought

promptly to the emergency department by prehospital personnel. His skin is

cool and diaphoretic, and he is confused. His pulse is thready and his femoral