SplintER Series: Patellar Tendon Rupture

A 46-year-old female with a history of diabetes and morbid obesity presents to the emergency department (ED) with difficulty walking after she tripped on a curb and fell onto her right knee. You obtain X-rays (Figure 1). What is your suspected diagnosis? What is your initial workup in the ED? What is your management and disposition?

Figure 1. AP/lateral x-ray of the right knee. Author’s own images.

(more…)

By Mark Hopkins, MD|2022-12-23T09:52:15-08:00Jan 25, 2023|Expert Peer Reviewed (Clinical), Orthopedic, SplintER|

Figure 1: AP and lateral radiographs of the left knee. Case courtesy Dr. Jeremy Jones, Radiopaedia.org, rID: 27372

(more…)

By Mark Hopkins, MD|2026-06-16T16:18:03-07:00Dec 28, 2022|Expert Peer Reviewed (Clinical), Orthopedic, SplintER|

A 38-year-old female presents to the ED with right shoulder pain after a fall directly onto that shoulder. She noticed immediate pain and difficulty moving the arm associated with mild tingling in her right fingers. The radiographs above were obtained in the ED (Image 1. AP and lateral radiographs of the right shoulder, author’s own images).

(more…)

By Mark Hopkins, MD|2022-11-08T17:53:57-08:00Nov 9, 2022|Expert Peer Reviewed (Clinical), Orthopedic, SplintER|

Figure 1. AP and Lateral x-rays of the right knee. Case courtesy of Dr Andrew Dixon, Radiopaedia.org, rID: 16139

(more…)

By Mark Hopkins, MD|2021-07-06T16:58:37-07:00Jul 7, 2021|Expert Peer Reviewed (Clinical), Orthopedic, SplintER, Trauma|

30-year-old male presents to the ED with pain over the right shoulder after being assaulted by a bat. The right arm is held in adduction and has a limited range of motion due to pain. An x-ray of the right shoulder was obtained and is shown above (Figure 1. Case courtesy of Dr. Ian Bickle, Radiopaedia.org, rID: 74640).

(more…)

By Mark Hopkins, MD|2021-05-22T17:43:46-07:00Jun 16, 2021|Expert Peer Reviewed (Clinical), Orthopedic, SplintER|

80-year-old male patient brought in by ambulance for a witnessed fall. A cervical collar was placed by EMS because of midline neck pain. The patient is neurologically intact. A CT of the cervical spine was obtained and is shown above (Case courtesy of Dr. Talal F M Abdullah, Radiopaedia.org, rID: 58030).

(more…)

By Mark Hopkins, MD|2021-05-22T16:58:36-07:00Jun 9, 2021|Expert Peer Reviewed (Clinical), Orthopedic, SplintER|

SplintER Series: Diver’s Nightmare

A 27-year-old male presents with neck pain after diving headfirst into the shallow water of his pool. He has midline cervical spine tenderness and a normal neurological exam. CT of the cervical spine is shown below (Figure 1).