Category 11, Item 2
===================


A 55-year-old man was treated for a hemothorax following rib fractures three months previously. He now has a fever of 102°F and chronic and recurrent chest pain. The chest x-ray shown is obtained. A lateral decubitus view did not show any changes.

The therapy with the LEAST chance of achieving definitive success in curing this problem would be

1.  prolonged tube thoracostomy

2.  rib resection and tube drainage

3.  thoracotomy with decortication

4.  thoracoscopic decortication

5.  marsupialization (Eloesser flap)

For the incomplete statement above, select the lettered completion that is best of the 5 given.

For the answer and a critique of item 2 see page 63.

![Figure1](http://canjsurg.ca/https://www.canjsurg.ca/content/cjs/46/1/22/F1.medium.gif)

[Figure1](http://canjsurg.ca/content/46/1/22/F1)

## Footnotes

*   (Reproduced by permission from *SESAP No. 11 2002–2004 Syllabus*, Volume 2. For enrolment in the Surgical Education and Self-Assessment Program, please apply to the American College of Surgeons, 633 North St. Clair St., Chicago IL 60611-3211, USA; tel 312 202-5000; fax 312 202-5001; email postmaster{at}facs.org)