A 32-Year-Old Man Sustains a Midshaft Fracture of His Left

question 456

Multiple Choice

A 32-year-old man sustains a midshaft fracture of his left tibia during a motor vehicle accident.  The fracture was surgically fixed and stabilized in a plaster cast soon after the patient arrived in the emergency department.  Continuous morphine by patient-controlled anesthesia pump was provided for analgesic effect.  Sixteen hours after the surgery, the patient complains of significant pain in his left calf.  He appears very uncomfortable, is sweating and shifting restlessly in bed, and pleads for better analgesia.  He has no other medical problems.  His last tetanus toxoid booster shot was 2 years ago.  Which of the following is most likely to be present on physical examination?

• A)Absent distal pulses
• B)Loss of deep tendon reflexes
• C)Pain with passive muscle stretching
• D)Skin ulceration and necrosis
• E)Subcutaneous crepitation

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Definitions:

Human Sexual Dimorphism

The physical differences between male and female individuals of a species, which are not directly linked to reproductive functions.

Public Displays

Acts or exhibitions put on in public view, which can range from artistic performances to displays of affection or protest.

Gender Identity

An individual's personal sense and experience of their own gender, which may or may not align with societal expectations or biological sex.

Masculine Or Feminine

Terms used to describe qualities or attributes traditionally associated with men or women, respectively.