You are in an ambulance taking Bernard, a young adult male, to Springville Hospital Emergency Department. Bernard was at a barbecue cutting some ribs when the knife slipped and cut him in the stomach. The ambulance crew notes that the patient is complaining of chest pain and stomach pain around the knife wound. He is also showing redness and extreme swelling below the waist. Bernard is short of breath, coughing, and breathing rapidly, and the ambulance crew is somewhat perplexed by the fact that he is showing breathing problems as a result of this wound. It is the job of emergency department physicians and medical laboratory personnel to determine which parts of the body are being affected. Then, they must determine what is causing the problems and whether the symptoms are all related to the knife injury. While you, as an observer, cannot diagnose or immediately treat Bernard, you can use the provided information to develop a hypothesis that explains his injury and resulting complications. A hypothesis is a tentative and testable statement that can be supported by observational evidence. What terms have you learned so far that may help you solve the CSI presented? Which terms would assist you in explaining the body damage and problems associated with the injury.
