ATLS 10th Edition Post Test
Exam 2025-2026 Questions
and Answers
A 30 year old male sustains a gunshot wound to the right lower chest,
midway between the nipple and the costal margin. He is brought by
ambulance to a hospital with full surgical capabilities. In the ED, he is
endotracheally intubated, 2 L of crystalloid is infused rapidly, and a closed
tube thoracostomy is performed with the return of 200 mL of blood. A
CXR reveals correct placement of the chest tube and a small residual
hemothorax. His BP is now 70/50 and HR 140. The most appropriate next
step is:
A. Insert a second chest tube
B. Obtain CT Abd
C. Perform a thoracotomy in the ED
D. Perform a laporotomy in the OR
E. Perform a FAST exam
E. Perform a FAST exam
-> needs more CHEST exploration not abdomen, so FAST of chest
Which of the following is true regarding a PREGNANT patient who
presents following blunt trauma?
A. Early gastric decompression is important
,B. A hemoglobin level of 10 indicates recent blood loss
C. The CVP response to volume resuscitation is blunted in pregnant
patients
D. A lap belt is the best form of restraint due to the size of the gravid uterus
E. A PaCO2 of 40 provides reassurance about the adequancy of respiratory
function
A. Early gastric decompression is important
Which one of the following statements is FALSE concerning Rh
isoimmunization in pregnant trauma patients?
A. It occurs in blunt or penetrating abdominal trauma
B. It is produced by minor degrees of fetomaternal hemorrhage
C. Rh immunoglobulin therapy should be administered to pregnant
females who have sustained a gunshot wound to the leg
D. This is not a problem in traumatized, Rh-positive pregnant patients
E. Initiation of Rh immunoglobulin therapy does not require proof of
fetomaternal hemorrhage
C. Rh immunoglobulin therapy should be administered to pregnant females who
have sustained a gunshot wound to the leg
Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding access in pediatric
resuscitation?
A. Intraosseous access should be only be considered after 5 percutaneous
attempts
B. Cut down at the ankle is a preferred initial access technique
C. Blood transfusion can be delivered through intraosseous access
D. Internal jugular cannulation is the next preferred option when
percutaneous venous access fails
E. Intraosseous cannulation should be first choice for access
C. Blood transfusion can be delivered through intraosseous access
(anything can be delievered IO)
,A 23 year old male is stabbed below the right nipple. He is alert, and his
oxygen saturation is 98%. Chest tube was placed for treatment of
hemopneumothorax. BP is 90/60 mmHg after administration of 1 L of
crystalloid solution. What is the next step in treatment?
A. Re-examine the chest
B. Place a left-sided chest tube
C. Insert central venous catheter
D. Perform CT Abd/Pelvis
E. Prepare for urgent thoractomy
A. Re-examine the chest
You are treating a trauma patient and attempt a definitive airway by
intubation. However, the vocal cords are not visible. What tool would be
most valuable for achieving successful intubation?
A. Gum elastic bougie
B. Lateral cervical spine XR
C. Nasopharyngeal airway
D. Oxygen
E. Laryngeal mask airway
A. Gum elastic bougie
When glottis is not visualized, it is passed blindly behind the epiglottis
A 79 year old female is involved in a motor vehicle crash and presents to
the ED. She is on Coumadin and a beta blocker. Which of the folowing
statements is true concerning her management?
A. The risk of subdural hemorrhage is decreased
B. Absence of tachycardia indicates that the patient is hemodynamically
normal
C. Non-operative management of abdominal injuries is more likely to be
successful in older adults than in younger patients
D. Vigorous fluid resuscitation may be assocaited with cardiorespiratory
, failure
E. Epinephrine should be infused immediately for hypotension
D. Vigorous fluid resuscitation may be assocaited with cardiorespiratory failure
The primary indication for transferring a patient to a higher level trauma
center is:
Resource limitations as determined by the transferring doctor
-> DO NOT obtain things unless they are necessary at current hospital!
A teenaged bicycle rider is hit by a truck traveling at high speed. In the
emergency department, she is actively bleeding from open fractures of her
legs, and has abrasions on her chest and abdominal wall. Her blood
pressure is 80/50 mm Hg, heart rate is 140 beats per minute, respiratory
rate is 8 breaths per minute, and GCS score is 6. The first step in managing
this patient is to:
a) obtain a lateral cervical spine xray.
b) administer 2 liters of crystalloid solution.
c) insert a central venous pressure line.
d) perform endotracheal intubation and ventilation.
D. Perform endotracheal intubation and ventilation
GCS 8 or less -> intubate
Contraindication to nasogastric intubation is the presence of a:
Fracture of the cribiform plate
Exam 2025-2026 Questions
and Answers
A 30 year old male sustains a gunshot wound to the right lower chest,
midway between the nipple and the costal margin. He is brought by
ambulance to a hospital with full surgical capabilities. In the ED, he is
endotracheally intubated, 2 L of crystalloid is infused rapidly, and a closed
tube thoracostomy is performed with the return of 200 mL of blood. A
CXR reveals correct placement of the chest tube and a small residual
hemothorax. His BP is now 70/50 and HR 140. The most appropriate next
step is:
A. Insert a second chest tube
B. Obtain CT Abd
C. Perform a thoracotomy in the ED
D. Perform a laporotomy in the OR
E. Perform a FAST exam
E. Perform a FAST exam
-> needs more CHEST exploration not abdomen, so FAST of chest
Which of the following is true regarding a PREGNANT patient who
presents following blunt trauma?
A. Early gastric decompression is important
,B. A hemoglobin level of 10 indicates recent blood loss
C. The CVP response to volume resuscitation is blunted in pregnant
patients
D. A lap belt is the best form of restraint due to the size of the gravid uterus
E. A PaCO2 of 40 provides reassurance about the adequancy of respiratory
function
A. Early gastric decompression is important
Which one of the following statements is FALSE concerning Rh
isoimmunization in pregnant trauma patients?
A. It occurs in blunt or penetrating abdominal trauma
B. It is produced by minor degrees of fetomaternal hemorrhage
C. Rh immunoglobulin therapy should be administered to pregnant
females who have sustained a gunshot wound to the leg
D. This is not a problem in traumatized, Rh-positive pregnant patients
E. Initiation of Rh immunoglobulin therapy does not require proof of
fetomaternal hemorrhage
C. Rh immunoglobulin therapy should be administered to pregnant females who
have sustained a gunshot wound to the leg
Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding access in pediatric
resuscitation?
A. Intraosseous access should be only be considered after 5 percutaneous
attempts
B. Cut down at the ankle is a preferred initial access technique
C. Blood transfusion can be delivered through intraosseous access
D. Internal jugular cannulation is the next preferred option when
percutaneous venous access fails
E. Intraosseous cannulation should be first choice for access
C. Blood transfusion can be delivered through intraosseous access
(anything can be delievered IO)
,A 23 year old male is stabbed below the right nipple. He is alert, and his
oxygen saturation is 98%. Chest tube was placed for treatment of
hemopneumothorax. BP is 90/60 mmHg after administration of 1 L of
crystalloid solution. What is the next step in treatment?
A. Re-examine the chest
B. Place a left-sided chest tube
C. Insert central venous catheter
D. Perform CT Abd/Pelvis
E. Prepare for urgent thoractomy
A. Re-examine the chest
You are treating a trauma patient and attempt a definitive airway by
intubation. However, the vocal cords are not visible. What tool would be
most valuable for achieving successful intubation?
A. Gum elastic bougie
B. Lateral cervical spine XR
C. Nasopharyngeal airway
D. Oxygen
E. Laryngeal mask airway
A. Gum elastic bougie
When glottis is not visualized, it is passed blindly behind the epiglottis
A 79 year old female is involved in a motor vehicle crash and presents to
the ED. She is on Coumadin and a beta blocker. Which of the folowing
statements is true concerning her management?
A. The risk of subdural hemorrhage is decreased
B. Absence of tachycardia indicates that the patient is hemodynamically
normal
C. Non-operative management of abdominal injuries is more likely to be
successful in older adults than in younger patients
D. Vigorous fluid resuscitation may be assocaited with cardiorespiratory
, failure
E. Epinephrine should be infused immediately for hypotension
D. Vigorous fluid resuscitation may be assocaited with cardiorespiratory failure
The primary indication for transferring a patient to a higher level trauma
center is:
Resource limitations as determined by the transferring doctor
-> DO NOT obtain things unless they are necessary at current hospital!
A teenaged bicycle rider is hit by a truck traveling at high speed. In the
emergency department, she is actively bleeding from open fractures of her
legs, and has abrasions on her chest and abdominal wall. Her blood
pressure is 80/50 mm Hg, heart rate is 140 beats per minute, respiratory
rate is 8 breaths per minute, and GCS score is 6. The first step in managing
this patient is to:
a) obtain a lateral cervical spine xray.
b) administer 2 liters of crystalloid solution.
c) insert a central venous pressure line.
d) perform endotracheal intubation and ventilation.
D. Perform endotracheal intubation and ventilation
GCS 8 or less -> intubate
Contraindication to nasogastric intubation is the presence of a:
Fracture of the cribiform plate
