Single most likely diagnosis
- Penetrating trauma to neck with expanding hematoma: This condition is highly suggestive of airway obstruction due to the potential for the expanding hematoma to compress or compromise the airway.
Other Likely diagnoses
- Pt with stab chest "sucking air": This presentation is indicative of a chest injury that may lead to a pneumothorax or other conditions affecting breathing, which can indirectly suggest airway obstruction or compromise.
Do Not Miss (ddxs that may not be likely, but would be deadly if missed.)
- Pt with abdominal trauma RTA: Although abdominal trauma itself is less directly associated with airway obstruction, the mechanism of injury (e.g., high-speed RTA) could also involve injuries to the chest or neck that might compromise the airway.
- Pt with open fracture femur: While less directly related to airway obstruction, the severity of the injury and potential for associated injuries (especially in polytrauma cases) means that airway compromise cannot be ruled out without thorough assessment.
Rare diagnoses
- None specifically listed, as the provided options do not include rare causes of airway obstruction. However, other rare diagnoses might include conditions like angioedema, foreign body aspiration, or other less common causes of airway compromise that are not directly related to the trauma scenarios described.