A 35-year-old man is brought to the emergency department after a motor vehicle collision. On initial evaluation, he opens his eyes only when the physician loudly calls his name. When asked what happened, he responds with single, random words that do not form coherent sentences. When pressure is applied to his right fingernail bed, he briskly flexes his elbow to pull his right arm away from the stimulus, but does not reach toward the examiner's hand. What is this patient's Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score?
Answer: 10 points
Answer
10
The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) evaluates a patient's level of consciousness based on three categories: Eye Opening (E), Verbal Response (V), and Best Motor Response (M). This patient opens his eyes to sound (E3), uses inappropriate words rather than conversational sentences (V3), and withdraws from pain without localizing it (M4). The total score is calculated by adding these components: E3 + V3 + M4 = 10 points. Calculating an accurate GCS score is a critical initial step in the primary survey of any trauma patient to determine the severity of traumatic brain injury and the potential need for definitive airway management.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) Scoring
Estimated Time:45s