ATLS Post Test 2026 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE GRADED /A
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
1. 22-year-old man is brought to the hospital
after crashing his motorcycle into a
obtain a lateral cervica
telephone pole. He is unconscious and in
insert a central venous
profound shock. He has no open wounds or
administer 2 liters of crysta
obvious fractures.
perform endotracheal int
The cause of his shock is MOST LIKELY
ve
caused by: apply the PASG and infl
a subdural hematoma. comp
an epidural hematoma.
3. Contraindication to nasogastr
a transected lumbar spinal cord.
the presence of a:
a transected cervical spinal cord.
gastric
hemorrhage into the chest or
diaphragma
abdomen open depressed s
1. The primary indication for transferring a fracture of the ce
patient to a higher-level trauma center is: fracture of the cribri
unavailability of a surgeon or operating room
staff.
multiple system injuries, including severe
head injury.
resource limitations as determined by the
transferring doctor.
resource limitations as determined by the
hospital administration.
widened mediastinum on chest x-ray
following blunt thoracic trauma.
2. teen-aged bicycle rider is hit by a truck
traveling at a high rate of speed. In the
emergency department, she is actively bleeding
,4. Which one of the following statements
regarding patients with thoracic spine injuries
is TRUE?
Log-rolling may be destabilizing
to fractures from T-12 to L-1.
Adequate immobilization can
be accomplished with the scoop stretcher.
Spinal cord injury below T-10 usually spares
bowel and bladder function.
Hyperflexion fractures in the
upper thoracic spine are inherently unstable.
These patients rarely present with
spinal shock in association with cord injury.
5. young man sustains a ritle wound to the
mid- abdomen. He is brought promptly to the
emergency department by prehospital
personnel. His skin is cool and diaphoretic,
and his systolic blood pressure is 58 rnm Hg.
Warmed crystalloid fluids are initiated
without improvement in his vital signs. The
next, most appropriate step is to perform:
a celiotomy. an abdominal CT scan. diagnostic lap
a diagnostic peritoneal lavage.
6. young woman sustains a severe head injury
as the result of a motor vehicular crash. In
the emergency department, her GCS score is
6. Her blood pressure is 140/90 mm Hg and
her heart rate is 80 beats per minute. She is
intubated and is being mechanically
ventilated. Her pupils are 3 mm in size and
equally reactive to light. There is no other
apparent injury. The most important principle
to follow in the early management of her
head injury is to:
, administer an osmotic
diuretic.prevent secondary
brain injury.
, aggressively treat systemic hypertension. 9. 8-year-old girl is an unrestrain
reduce metabolic requirements of the in a vehicle struck from behind.
brain. emergency department, her blo
distinguish between intracranial hematoma 80/60 mm Hg, heart rate is 80 be
and cerebral edema. and respiratory rate is 16 breath
. Her GCS score is 14. She compla
legs feel "funny and won't move
however, her spine x-rays do no
8. 30-year-old man is struck by a car traveling fracture or dislocation. A spinal c
at 56 kph (35 mph). He has obvious fractures of this child:
the left tibia near the knee, pain in the pelvic
is most likely a central cor
area, and severe dyspnea. His heart rate is 180
must be diagnosed by magnetic r
beats per minute, and his respiratory rate is 48
breaths per minute with no breath sounds heard
can be excluded by obtaining
in the left chest. A tension pneumothorax is
en
relieved by immediate needle decompression
may exist in the absence of
and tube thoracostomy. Subsequently, his heart
findings on x-ra
rate decreases to 140 beats per minute, his
is unlikely because of the
respiratory rate decreases to 36 breaths per calcification of the vertebra
minute, and his blood pressure is 80/50 inm Hg.
Warmed Ringer's lactate is administered
intravenously. The next priority should be to: 10. Immediate chest tube insertio
perform a urethrogram and cystogram. for which of the following condit
Pneu
perform external fixation of the pelvis. Pneuomdiastnum Masive
obtain abdominal and pelvic CT scans. Diaphragmat
perform arterial embolization of the pelvic Subcutaneous em
vessels.
perform diagnostic peritoneal lavage or
11. 18-year-old, helmeted moto
abdominal ultrasound.
brought by ambulance to the em
department following a high-spe
Prehospital persormel report tha
15 meters (50 feet) off his bfice.
history of hypotension prior to a
emergency department, but is no
ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE GRADED /A
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
1. 22-year-old man is brought to the hospital
after crashing his motorcycle into a
obtain a lateral cervica
telephone pole. He is unconscious and in
insert a central venous
profound shock. He has no open wounds or
administer 2 liters of crysta
obvious fractures.
perform endotracheal int
The cause of his shock is MOST LIKELY
ve
caused by: apply the PASG and infl
a subdural hematoma. comp
an epidural hematoma.
3. Contraindication to nasogastr
a transected lumbar spinal cord.
the presence of a:
a transected cervical spinal cord.
gastric
hemorrhage into the chest or
diaphragma
abdomen open depressed s
1. The primary indication for transferring a fracture of the ce
patient to a higher-level trauma center is: fracture of the cribri
unavailability of a surgeon or operating room
staff.
multiple system injuries, including severe
head injury.
resource limitations as determined by the
transferring doctor.
resource limitations as determined by the
hospital administration.
widened mediastinum on chest x-ray
following blunt thoracic trauma.
2. teen-aged bicycle rider is hit by a truck
traveling at a high rate of speed. In the
emergency department, she is actively bleeding
,4. Which one of the following statements
regarding patients with thoracic spine injuries
is TRUE?
Log-rolling may be destabilizing
to fractures from T-12 to L-1.
Adequate immobilization can
be accomplished with the scoop stretcher.
Spinal cord injury below T-10 usually spares
bowel and bladder function.
Hyperflexion fractures in the
upper thoracic spine are inherently unstable.
These patients rarely present with
spinal shock in association with cord injury.
5. young man sustains a ritle wound to the
mid- abdomen. He is brought promptly to the
emergency department by prehospital
personnel. His skin is cool and diaphoretic,
and his systolic blood pressure is 58 rnm Hg.
Warmed crystalloid fluids are initiated
without improvement in his vital signs. The
next, most appropriate step is to perform:
a celiotomy. an abdominal CT scan. diagnostic lap
a diagnostic peritoneal lavage.
6. young woman sustains a severe head injury
as the result of a motor vehicular crash. In
the emergency department, her GCS score is
6. Her blood pressure is 140/90 mm Hg and
her heart rate is 80 beats per minute. She is
intubated and is being mechanically
ventilated. Her pupils are 3 mm in size and
equally reactive to light. There is no other
apparent injury. The most important principle
to follow in the early management of her
head injury is to:
, administer an osmotic
diuretic.prevent secondary
brain injury.
, aggressively treat systemic hypertension. 9. 8-year-old girl is an unrestrain
reduce metabolic requirements of the in a vehicle struck from behind.
brain. emergency department, her blo
distinguish between intracranial hematoma 80/60 mm Hg, heart rate is 80 be
and cerebral edema. and respiratory rate is 16 breath
. Her GCS score is 14. She compla
legs feel "funny and won't move
however, her spine x-rays do no
8. 30-year-old man is struck by a car traveling fracture or dislocation. A spinal c
at 56 kph (35 mph). He has obvious fractures of this child:
the left tibia near the knee, pain in the pelvic
is most likely a central cor
area, and severe dyspnea. His heart rate is 180
must be diagnosed by magnetic r
beats per minute, and his respiratory rate is 48
breaths per minute with no breath sounds heard
can be excluded by obtaining
in the left chest. A tension pneumothorax is
en
relieved by immediate needle decompression
may exist in the absence of
and tube thoracostomy. Subsequently, his heart
findings on x-ra
rate decreases to 140 beats per minute, his
is unlikely because of the
respiratory rate decreases to 36 breaths per calcification of the vertebra
minute, and his blood pressure is 80/50 inm Hg.
Warmed Ringer's lactate is administered
intravenously. The next priority should be to: 10. Immediate chest tube insertio
perform a urethrogram and cystogram. for which of the following condit
Pneu
perform external fixation of the pelvis. Pneuomdiastnum Masive
obtain abdominal and pelvic CT scans. Diaphragmat
perform arterial embolization of the pelvic Subcutaneous em
vessels.
perform diagnostic peritoneal lavage or
11. 18-year-old, helmeted moto
abdominal ultrasound.
brought by ambulance to the em
department following a high-spe
Prehospital persormel report tha
15 meters (50 feet) off his bfice.
history of hypotension prior to a
emergency department, but is no
