Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) Practice Exam

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Prepare for the PLAB Test with interactive quizzes and comprehensive study materials. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and detailed explanations. Start studying today!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.


In which clinical scenario would you most expect to find issues concerning anterior-axillary chest tube placement?

  1. Pneumothorax

  2. Hemothorax

  3. Lung cancer

  4. Pleural effusion

The correct answer is: Pneumothorax

In the case of pneumothorax, issues concerning anterior-axillary chest tube placement are most commonly encountered due to the nature of the condition. A pneumothorax occurs when air enters the pleural space, leading to partial or complete lung collapse. The anterior axillary line, which runs down from the armpit along the front of the chest, is a preferred location for chest tube insertion in cases where air needs to be evacuated from the pleural space. Proper placement in this area is crucial to effectively remove the air. If the chest tube is not appropriately positioned, it may not fully contribute to the re-expansion of the lung, thus complicating the management of the pneumothorax. In contrast, other scenarios, such as hemothorax, lung cancer, and pleural effusion, may have different preferred sites for chest tube placement to address fluid or tissue-related issues. For example, while both hemothorax (accumulation of blood) and pleural effusion (fluid buildup) might also require tube placement, the focus on attacking the air component in a pneumothorax scenario emphasizes the significance of proper anterior-axillary placement specifically for air evacuation.