Correct!
5. All of the above

There are several areas of the chest x-ray which are concerning. First, the tip of the tracheostomy tube is not aligned with the tracheal strip (Figure 3). Second, there appears to be dense consolidation and possibly an air fluid level in the right lower lung (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Admission chest x-ray showing the tip of the tracheostomy tube (solid arrow) is not aligned with the tracheal strip (open arrow). There is a question of an air-fluid level in the right lower chest (solid star). The meniscus seen on the lateral (solid triangle) indicates a probable pleural effusion.

Which of the following do the lack of alignment of the tip of the tracheostomy tube and the tracheal stripe and the air fluid level indicate?

1. The air-fluid level can indicate either a pulmonary abcess or an empyema
2. The air-fluid level indicates a pulmonary abcess
3. The lack of alignment of the tip of the tracheostomy tube and the tracheal stripe indicates that the tracheostomy is not in the trachea
4. The lack of alignment of the tip of tracheostomy tube and the tracheal stripe is normal and due to the tube and tracheal stripe being in two different planes
5. 1 and 3
6. 2 and 4

Home/Critical Care