1) If the stab wound had penetrated the left upper quadrant, what organs may have been affected? What regions would be affected?
The organs in the left upper quadrant that would have been affected by the stab include the stomach, spleen, left portion of the liver, main body of the pancreas, adrenal glands, and the left part of the kidney. The abdominal regions in the axial would have been affected.
2) If an additional stab wound was found in the thoracic cavity, what organs may be affected? What effect do you think this may have had on this individual’s life? Explain your answer. The heart, the lungs, esophagus, and the thymus gland would have been affected.
Stabbing on the chest wall may hurt the intercostal blood vessel and the visceral pleura, leading to the development of pneumothorax or hemopneumothorax. The individual may experience shortness of breath, irritation, and pain.
3) Other than the X-ray, what other diagnostic imaging do you think would have been helpful to visualize the organs affected in this clinical case? Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and transthoracic ultrasound help locate objects in the heart. Nuclear medicine imaging such as positron emission tomography (PET).
4) If the stab wound entered the mediastinum, what major blood vessel may be lacerated?
Superior vena cava, left subclavian artery, left common carotid artery, brachiocephalic artery, brachiocephalic veins, the left superior intercostal vein, and the azygous vein.
5) Which role would you like to be a part of in this case (the EMT, trauma nurse, or the surgeon)? Why? I would like to play the trauma nurse’s role because of my passion for helping people regain a healthy life after major incidents of their lives. I have expertise in listening to people and connecting with their emotions at a personal level. Hence, the post of a trauma nurse would be well befitting my personality. Moreover, I would be of great help preparing the patient for surgery and helping the surgeon in operation.