Fri12November0729PM 5

A 24-year-old male is admitted to the Emergency department following a physical assault. He has been hit on the head by a golf club.

There is a large scalp haematoma and a bleeding wound. He opens his eyes and has purposeful movements to painful stimuli. A history is impossible because of inappropriate responses but words are discernible.

Which ONE of the following options represents his current Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)?

(Please select 1 option)

E2V3M5=10 Correct

E3V4M3=10

E3V2M5=10

E3V3M4=10

E2V4M4=10

Explanation

Eye opening to painful stimulus = 2.

Best verbal response (inappropriate responses, words discernible) = 3.

Motor response to pain (purposeful movement to pain) = 5.

Total = 10.

The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) has served as an assessment tool in head trauma and as a measure of physiological derangement in outcome models.

Eye opening (E):

4 Spontaneously

3 Responds to voice

2 Responds to painful stimulus

1 No response.

Best verbal response (V):

5 Orientated, converses normally

4 Confused, disoriented conversation, but able to answer basic questions

3 Inappropriate responses, words discernible

2 Incomprehensible speech

1 Makes no sounds.

Best motor response (M):

6 Obeys commands for movement

5 Purposeful movement to painful stimulus

4 Withdraws from pain

3 Abnormal (spastic) flexor response to painful stimuli, decorticate posture

2 Extensor response to painful stimuli, decerebrate posture

1 No response.

Answer Statistics

1

71%

2

1%

3

11%

4

13%

5

7%

Times answered: 279