A nurse is caring for a client with regional enteritis (Crohn's disease). Which of the following symptoms should the nurse anticipate during assessment?

Choice A rationale

Administering a laxative is not necessary for a CT scan of the abdomen with contrast. Laxatives are typically used for bowel preparation for procedures like colonoscopies.

Choice B rationale

Biguanide medications such as metformin should be held before and after the administration of contrast medium to prevent lactic acidosis, particularly in clients with liver disease.

Choice C rationale

Fasting for 24 hours is not required before a CT scan with contrast medium. Typically, clients are asked to fast for a few hours prior to the procedure.

Choice D rationale

Ensuring the client is adequately hydrated helps to protect kidney function and reduce the risk of contrast-induced nephropathy. Hydration is especially important for clients with a history of liver disease.

Choice A rationale

A puncture or rupture of the lung is typically associated with a pneumothorax, not flail chest. Pneumothorax occurs when air leaks into the space between the lung and the chest wall.

Choice B rationale

The presence of air or gas in the pleural cavity is known as pneumothorax. Flail chest, however, is characterized by multiple rib fractures.

Choice C rationale

Flail chest occurs when multiple adjacent ribs are fractured in multiple places, creating a free-floating segment of the chest wall. This condition is serious and often results from blunt chest trauma.

Choice D rationale

The collapse of the lung is known as atelectasis or pneumothorax, not flail chest. Flail chest specifically refers to the detachment of a segment of the rib cage.