Case of the Month
A Young Asthmatic with Headache and Abdominal Pain
A 28-year-old man with a known history of asthma presents with headache, nausea and abdominal pain. His heart rate is elevated at 117 bpm. He currently takes a salbutamol inhaler and a theophylline for his asthma. He had attended the Emergency Department a few days...
A Blood Transfusion Reaction in a 42-Year-Old Woman
A 42-year-old woman receives a blood transfusion for anaemia secondary to heavy vaginal bleeding. 4 hours after commencement of the transfusion she complains of feeling breathless and has developed a dry cough. Her temperature is measured at 38.1ºC. A chest X-ray is...
Unexplained Debilitating Nausea and Vomiting
A 30-year-old woman presents with debilitating nausea and vomiting. The vomiting occurs in a cyclical pattern, with the patient experiencing episodes every few months. She is also complaining of colicky abdominal pain but her bowel movements are normal. She states...
Managing Paracetamol Overdose
A 25-year-old woman with a long history of depression has taken an overdose of paracetamol. She took the overdose 10 hours ago and cannot recall how many tablets she has taken. She is complaining of abdominal pain and nausea. 1. What is the mechanism of liver damage...
A 2-Year-Old Child with Breathing Difficulties
A 2-year-old boy is brought in to the Emergency Department with stridor and a barking cough. His mum states that he has had a mild cold for a few days and his voice had been hoarse. His observations are as follows: Temperature 38.1°C, HR 135, RR 30, SaO2 97% on air....
Chest Pain and Syncope in a 72-Year-Old Man
A 72-year-old man presents with chest pain and intermittent syncope. He tells you that he has been suffering with episodes of dizziness and fatigue over the past few weeks. On review today his heart rate is 37 bpm and his rhythm strip is shown below: 1. What does the...
A Farm Worker with a Dirty Wound
A 24-year-old man from Russia presents with a wound on his left forearm sustained whilst working on a farm the day before yesterday. The wound has been cleaned under a tap but still contains some debris and dirt. You clean the wound carefully and prescribe...
Severe Chest Pain Following Blunt Thoracic Trauma
A 37-year-old man is involved in a high-speed motor vehicle collision. He was not wearing a seat belt and struck his chest on the steering wheel. He has presented complaining of severe central chest pain and breathlessness. You are the trauma call team leader. His...
An Unusually Severe Ear Infection
A 76-year old woman presents has severe otalgia in her left ear that has been gradually worsening over the past few weeks. She describes the pain as being ‘unrelenting’ and she has been unable to sleep for several nights. Her family have noticed that the left side of...
A Strange Rash After Swimming the English Channel
A 58-year-old woman presents to a walk-in clinic with a severe rash on her arms, legs and torso. The previous day she had swum the English Channel in 12 hours. When you examine her, you can see well-demarcated welts all over the affected areas with surrounding...
