32-year-old Man in Surgery — 32yo Man | Trauma Surgery | SMLE Q#946
SMLE Question #946
Surgery
Trauma Surgery
Objective: OBJ-TRM-AIRWAY-01
Last updated: February 2026
A 32-year-old man is being transferred from a rural emergency department to a trauma center after a high-speed road traffic accident. He has a comminuted femoral shaft fracture and a left chest tube inserted before transport. During transfer, he becomes increasingly short of breath and agitated. Examination shows markedly decreased left-sided breath sounds and poor chest rise near the chest tube dressing. What is the most appropriate next step in management?
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