What would a broken cable wire do on an EKG?

A broken cable wire in an EKG setup can cause a wandering baseline, which presents as undulating movements in the baseline of the EKG tracing. This happens because a broken or poorly connected lead may intermittently lose contact with the skin, causing variations in the electrical signals being picked up. As a result, the EKG may not be able to accurately reflect the heart's electrical activity, leading to fluctuations in the baseline.

In contrast, other outcomes like a flatline or random spikes are typically caused by different issues, such as total lead failure or interference from external sources. A flatline represents a loss of electrical signal altogether, while random spikes can be indicative of electrical interference or noise, which are not typically produced solely by a broken cable wire. Therefore, the most appropriate consequence of a broken cable wire in this context is the appearance of a wandering baseline.