A 25-year-old man is brought to the emergency department via ambulance after sustaining a stab wound to the right side of his chest. He appears pale and lethargic. Vital signs show a temperature of 36.8°C (98.2°F), blood pressure of 80/50 mmHg, heart rate of 130/min, and respiratory rate of 24/min. Physical examination reveals a single 2-cm laceration in the right fifth intercostal space at the midaxillary line. Breath sounds are markedly diminished on the right side, and dullness to percussion is present. After placing large-bore intravenous access and initiating fluid resuscitation, a right-sided tube thoracostomy is rapidly performed. The chest tube yields an immediate return of 1,600 mL of bright red blood. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?
- Emergent exploratory thoracotomyCevap
- BComputed tomography of the chest
- CObservation and administration of packed red blood cells
- DAdministration of intravenous sodium bicarbonate
- EInitiation of broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics