American Board of Surgery Qualifying Exam (ABS QE) Practice Test

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Prepare for the ABS QE with flashcards and multiple-choice questions. Each question provides hints and explanations to enhance understanding. Start your journey to becoming a certified surgeon and tackle your exam with confidence!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

What percentage is assigned to the front trunk in the rule of nines?

The correct answer is: 18%

In the rule of nines, which is a method used to estimate the total body surface area (TBSA) affected by burns, the front trunk is assigned a percentage of 18%. This is based on the division of the body into sections that each represent roughly 9% or multiples thereof, to facilitate quick estimation during initial assessments. The front of the torso is considered a significant area because burns in this region can have serious implications for fluid loss, thermal regulation, and potential respiratory injuries. Understanding this allocation is crucial for effective treatment planning, especially in emergency situations where rapid decisions about fluid resuscitation and transfer to burn centers may be necessary. Each of the other percentages assigned in the rule of nines pertains to different body areas, and it’s important to familiarize oneself with these distributions for accurate evaluation and management of burn patients.