Category Reference
Trauma & Critical Care Procedures
11 procedures tested on the ABS Certifying Exam
Trauma and critical care is the densest testing domain on the oral boards. Cases follow ATLS structure but quickly drill into operative decisions: damage control laparotomy, splenic salvage vs splenectomy, vascular trauma, retroperitoneal hematoma zones, REBOA indications, pelvic packing, neck zones, and management of solid organ injury. Examiners reliably introduce hemodynamic instability mid-case to test whether you can change plans.
Exploratory Laparotomy
Emergency surgical exploration of the abdomen through a midline laparotomy incision, the foundational trauma operation. The examiner expects you to describe the systematic approach…
Damage Control Surgery
An abbreviated surgical strategy for severely injured patients in physiologic extremis, prioritizing hemorrhage and contamination control over definitive repair. The examiner expec…
Splenectomy
Surgical removal of the spleen, performed either emergently for traumatic splenic injury with hemodynamic instability or electively for hematologic conditions. The examiner expects…
Thoracotomy (ED & OR)
Emergency thoracotomy performed either in the ED (resuscitative) or the OR (definitive). ED thoracotomy is a left anterolateral incision in the 5th intercostal space performed for …
Chest Tube / Tube Thoracostomy
Insertion of a drainage tube into the pleural space through the chest wall. The examiner expects you to describe the safe technique: incision at the 5th intercostal space anterior …
Pericardial Window
Creation of a small opening in the pericardium to diagnose and treat pericardial tamponade or effusion. The subxiphoid approach is performed through a small incision below the xiph…
Tracheostomy
Creation of a surgical airway through an anterior tracheal incision, typically between the 2nd and 3rd or 3rd and 4th tracheal rings. The examiner expects you to know the indicatio…
Cricothyroidotomy
Emergency surgical airway created by incising the cricothyroid membrane, performed when endotracheal intubation fails and the patient cannot be oxygenated. The examiner expects you…
Four-Compartment Fasciotomy
Emergency decompression of all four compartments of the lower leg to treat or prevent compartment syndrome. The examiner expects you to diagnose compartment syndrome clinically (th…
Liver Repair & Packing (Trauma)
Operative management of traumatic liver injuries including direct repair, hemostatic techniques, and perihepatic packing. The examiner expects you to know the AAST liver injury gra…
Diaphragm Repair (Trauma)
Primary repair of traumatic diaphragmatic rupture, which occurs from blunt or penetrating thoracoabdominal trauma. The examiner expects you to know that left-sided injuries are 3x …
Practice Trauma & Critical Care cases with an AI examiner
Talk through these procedures out loud, exam style. The AI examiner adapts to your answers and introduces complications.