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About Michael Sternberg, MD

Professor
Department of Emergency Medicine
University of South Alabama

SAEM Clinical Images Series: Enigmatic Traumatic Hip Pain

hip

An 84-year-old female presented with a chief complaint of right hip pain after a fall 12 hours prior to presentation. The patient reported a history of falls resulting in shoulder, rib, and left hip fractures in the past. The patient stated that upon getting out of bed, she took 4-5 steps, lost her balance, and fell backward onto the bedroom floor. She denied loss of consciousness. She denied syncope or vertigo before the fall. She was unable to bear weight due to a 7/10 intensity pain on the anterior medial aspect of her right thigh that was worse with movement.

 

occult

Vitals: 37.8°C; BP 138/92; HR 94; RR 18; SpO2 98% on room air; BMI 24

General: A&Ox4, anxious, in moderate distress.

HEENT: Normocephalic, atraumatic, PERRLA, EOM’s intact.

Cardiac: RRR w/out m/r/g, pulses 2+ in all extremities.

Respiratory: BBS, CTA.

Abdomen: BS+, nondistended, nontender.

MSK: No gross deformities appreciated, right hip with limited flexion and extension due to pain. Tender to palpation superior, anterior medial aspect of the right thigh. Full range of motion of the right knee, ankle, and left lower extremity.

Complete blood count (CBC): Within normal limits

Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP): Within normal limits

AP Pelvis Radiograph (Figure 1): “Osteopenia with no acute fractures or dislocation”

Occult femur fracture

Occult fractures are defined as fractures that cannot be detected by standard radiographic examination until weeks after the injury either due to lack of displacement or limitations of the imaging study. Occult femur fractures account for 2-10% of total hip fractures and have an associated one-year mortality of 14-16% even when surgically repaired within two days. Delayed recognition coupled with patient immobility may lead to complications such as pulmonary emboli that have been shown to increase one-year mortality by up to 30%.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

In our case, computed tomography with 3D reconstruction (Figures 2,3) revealed a non-displaced intertrochanteric fracture with involvement of the greater and lesser trochanters. As CT scanning is usually more readily available than MRI, it may be the first additional imaging choice when radiographs are normal. A normal CT scan, however, especially in patients with osteopenia is considered insufficient to rule out an occult fracture. In a 7-year retrospective analysis at a regional trauma center, 57.4% of cases were diagnosed by MRI and 14.6% were diagnosed by CT scan within the first 24 hours. Of the remaining portion, a final diagnosis was made 72 hours after presentation with CT scan (39% of false negative cases) or MRI (61% of false negative cases).

Take-Home Points

  • Occult fractures are an important differential when standard imaging modalities do not correlate with physical exam findings.
  • Occult fractures can be missed on X-rays and CT scans, delaying definitive treatment. Delayed diagnosis can result in further complications and increased mortality and morbidity.
  • MRI is considered the gold standard for identifying occult fractures.

  • Deleanu B, Prejbeanu R, Tsiridis E, Vermesan D, Crisan D, Haragus H, Predescu V, Birsasteanu F. Occult fractures of the proximal femur: imaging diagnosis and management of 82 cases in a regional trauma center. World J Emerg Surg. 2015 Nov 18;10:55. doi: 10.1186/s13017-015-0049-y. PMID: 26587053; PMCID: PMC4652353.
  • Jonathan Grammer, Michael Sternberg. Occult femur fracture. Visual Journal of Emergency Medicine. Volume 14, 2019, Pages 15-16, ISSN 2405-4690

Copyright

Images and cases from the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Clinical Images Exhibit at the 2023 SAEM Annual Meeting | Copyrighted by SAEM 2023 – all rights reserved. View other cases from this Clinical Image Series on ALiEM.

By |2023-12-23T10:25:21-08:00Dec 22, 2023|Orthopedic, Radiology, SAEM Clinical Images|
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SAEM Clinical Images Series: Intracranial Abnormality

mega cisterna magna

A 26-year-old male with no significant past medical history presented to the ED after slipping on wet pavement and hitting his head on the ground three hours prior. He endorsed a constant, achy 7/10 headache accompanied by nausea and photophobia. He denied vomiting, dizziness, diplopia, loss of consciousness, or seizures. Nothing made it better or worse.

 

Vitals: BP 101/63; HR 76; RR 14; T 36.7°C

General: Alert and oriented, no acute distress

HEENT: Normocephalic, atraumatic, tenderness elicited over right occipital bone, PERRLA, + photophobia

Neurologic: WNL with no focal motor or sensory deficits appreciated other than photophobia; deep tendon reflexes 2+ throughout, steady gate

Non-contributory

This patient has a classic presentation of Mega Cisterna Magna (MCM). MCM is a rare cystic posterior fossa malformation characterized by a 10 mm or larger cisterna magna on midsagittal planes, absent hydrocephalus, and an intact cerebellar vermis. Most cases of MCM are found during prenatal ultrasonography. Adults with isolated MCM are typically asymptomatic and found incidentally on radiographic imaging. No follow-up or treatment is needed.

More than 90% of patients with isolated MCM (such as our patient) have a favorable prognosis and normal development. However, there are multiple conditions that have been found to be associated with MCM. Developmental or cognitive delay occurs in about 8% of patients with MCM, and patients with MCM scored slightly lower than controls when comparing memory, executive functioning, and language fluency. MCM is also associated with other central nervous system (CNS) anomalies; the most common being ventriculomegaly, cerebellar hypoplasia, and arachnoid cysts. Renal defects, such as a horseshoe kidney, are the most common extra-CNS anomalies.

Take-Home Points

  • Mega Cisterna Magna is a cystic posterior fossa malformation typically found on perinatal ultrasonography or incidentally on cranial imaging in asymptomatic patients. MCM is a benign condition with no need to follow up or initiate treatment.
  • Mega Cisterna Magna is associated with developmental and cognitive delay, inferior memory, executive functioning, and verbal fluency, renal defects, and other CNS anomalies.

Copyright

Images and cases from the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Clinical Images Exhibit at the 2023 SAEM Annual Meeting | Copyrighted by SAEM 2023 – all rights reserved. View other cases from this Clinical Image Series on ALiEM.

By |2023-10-26T20:58:31-07:00Oct 27, 2023|Neurology, SAEM Clinical Images|
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SAEM Clinical Images Series: A Case of Painful Skin Lesions

necrobiosis

A 50-year-old Caucasian female with a history of hypertension, coronary artery disease, and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus presents to the emergency department with a complaint of painful sores on the top of her left foot. She notes that ulcerations have formed over the past two weeks and reports a history of multiple recurrent usually non-tender skin lesions to her lower extremities, forearms, and hands over the past twenty years. She is homeless and medically non-compliant secondary to financial issues.

Vitals: T 37.2°C; BP 149/77; HR 94; RR 20

Skin: Multiple yellow-brown and violaceous plaques on the pretibial lower extremities and feet, some exhibiting ulceration with central necrosis and surrounding erythema. Raised reddish-brown well-demarcated plaques with waxy centers were also noted on the dorsal forearms and hands.

Glucose: 539 (with a normal anion gap)

Hemoglobin A1C: 10.9

Necrobiosis Lipoidica – This patient had a previous skin biopsy with histopathologic changes demonstrating a granulomatous dermatitis involving the dermis and subcutaneous tissues with necrobiosis of collagen and inflammatory infiltrates of lymphocytes and plasma cells consistent with a diagnosis of necrobiosis lipoidica.

Necrobiosis lipoidica is a rare, chronic, idiopathic, granulomatous disease of collagen degeneration classically associated with type 1 diabetes (with a prevalence of 0.3 to 1.2%). It may present as the first clinical finding of or a precursor to diabetes, although its course is unaffected by glycemic control and it is unrelated to other diabetic complications including renal, ocular, and vascular problems. It has been associated with thyroid disease, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and sarcoidosis. It may be equally common in patients without diabetes, hence was renamed without the term “diabeticorum”.

Necrobiosis lipoidica typically is asymptomatic and presents in females (average onset at age of 30) as small, well-demarcated papules that expand into waxy-centered plaques with indurated borders that may resolve spontaneously (up to 17%) or may be complicated by ulceration, infection, and occasionally transformation to squamous cell carcinoma. The differential diagnosis includes other granulomatous and inflammatory diseases such as granuloma annulare, sarcoidosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and necrobiotic xanthogranuloma. The diagnosis is suggested by clinical presentation and is proven by biopsy.

Complications of necrobiosis lipoidica include long-term scarring, ulceration (more common in males), infection, and when lesions are chronic they may rarely transform into squamous cell carcinoma. There is no cure for necrobiosis lipoidica, and some skin lesions may resolve spontaneously, therefore, treatment is focused on addressing any complications. Multiple medical and surgical interventions have been tried. Topical and intra-lesional corticosteroids have been used to stabilize rapidly enlarging lesions with limited success, however, have the potential to cause further skin atrophy. Surgical interventions including debridement and skin grafting are discouraged as in necrobiosis lipoidica trauma tends to induce the Koebner phenomenon.

Take-Home Points

  • Necrobiosis lipoidica is an idiopathic rare skin disease classically associated with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus but may affect otherwise healthy individuals.
  • More common in females but more severe in males, necrobiosis lipoidica usually affects the pretibial lower extremities, may present in various stages, and has no known cure.
  • Non-diabetic patients presenting with necrobiosis lipoidica should be monitored for the development of diabetes mellitus, thyroid and inflammatory diseases, and squamous cell carcinoma.

  • Lepe K, Riley CA, Salazar FJ. Necrobiosis Lipoidica. [Updated 2022 Dec 1]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459318/ PMID:29083569.
  • Kota SK, Jammula S, Kota SK, Meher LK, Modi KD. Necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum: A case-based review of literature. Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2012 Jul;16(4):614-20. doi: 10.4103/2230-8210.98023. PMID: 22837927; PMCID: PMC3401767.

Copyright

Images and cases from the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Clinical Images Exhibit at the 2023 SAEM Annual Meeting | Copyrighted by SAEM 2023 – all rights reserved. View other cases from this Clinical Image Series on ALiEM.

By |2023-10-15T21:28:46-07:00Oct 20, 2023|Dermatology, Endocrine-Metabolic, SAEM Clinical Images|
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SAEM Clinical Images Series: A Rare Cause of Recurrent UTI

bulge

A 52-year-old male presents to the Emergency Department with a chief complaint of right lower abdominal pain with urinary frequency and urgency over the past week. The pain radiates from his right groin with 10/10 severity at times. He reports multiple diagnoses of urinary tract infections over the last year requiring oral antibiotics. He claims intermittent constipation, denies any trauma, and is a truck driver by trade.

Vitals: T 97.7 °C; BP 138/75; HR 75; RR 16; O2 sat 96%

General: WDWN obese male, A/O x4, in mild distress

Abdomen: Soft, nondistended, normoactive bowel sounds, no organomegaly. A 5 cm moderately tender soft tissue bulge suggestive of a direct hernia is palpated in the right inguinal area and is reduceable.

Complete blood count (CBC): Within normal limits

Complete metabolic panel (CMP): Within normal limits

Urinalysis (UA):

  • Color: Cloudy, yellow
  • Blood: Trace
  • Leukocyte esterase: Positive
  • Nitrite: Positive
  • WBCs: 15-30 hpf
  • RBCs: 3-5 hpf
  • Bacteria: Moderate

This patient’s CT scans demonstrate an inguinal herniation of the urinary bladder, which occurs in less than 4% of all inguinal hernias. The clinical finding of a soft tissue mass in the groin in the setting of recurrent urinary tract infections should include urinary bladder herniation in the differential diagnosis.

Oral or parenteral antibiotics based on clinical presentation and prevalent sensitivities should be given to address urinary tract infections. Emergent or non-emergent (if reduceable) surgical consultation, usually by a urologist, is standard. Surgical reduction and repair techniques that utilize mesh versus non-mesh have been associated with a better prognosis with less recurrence.

Take-Home Points

  • Although rare, an inguinal herniation of the urinary bladder should be considered in males over 50 years old who have a herniation on physical exam and urinary complaints.
  • Risk factors include obesity, BPH, and male sex. This condition is diagnosed in very few women.
  • Computerized tomography is the usual imaging modality to diagnose a urinary bladder herniation.
  • Patients may be asymptomatic or have symptoms that may include inguinal pain or swelling, urinary retention, and acute renal failure.
  • Manual compression of hernia to void is pathognomonic for a urinary bladder herniation.

  • Branchu B, Renard Y, Larre S, Leon P. Diagnosis and treatment of inguinal hernia of the bladder: a systematic review of the past 10 years. Turk J Urol. 2018 Sep;44(5):384-388. doi: 10.5152/tud.2018.46417. Epub 2018 Sep 1. PMID: 30487042; PMCID: PMC6134980.
  • Papatheofani V, Beaumont K, Nuessler NC. Inguinal hernia with complete urinary bladder herniation: a case report and review of the literature. J Surg Case Rep. 2020 Jan 2;2020(1):rjz321. doi: 10.1093/jscr/rjz321. PMID: 31911827; PMCID: PMC6939942.

Copyright

Images and cases from the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Clinical Images Exhibit at the 2023 SAEM Annual Meeting | Copyrighted by SAEM 2023 – all rights reserved. View other cases from this Clinical Image Series on ALiEM.

By |2023-10-06T13:25:23-07:00Oct 6, 2023|Genitourinary, SAEM Clinical Images|
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SAEM Clinical Images Series: Back Yard Football Injury

sternoclavicular

A 10-year-old male with no past medical history presents to the Emergency Department (ED) by EMS for evaluation of an injury sustained while playing tackle football. The patient was forcibly hit by another child against a tree. He complains of sharp right shoulder and chest pain that worsens with movement of his right upper extremity and he arrives wearing a sling to immobilize the arm.

 

Vitals: BP 123/86; HR 121; RR 25; T 37°C

General: Alert and oriented, in moderate distress

Cardiovascular: RRR without murmurs, rubs, or gallops, peripheral pulses 2+ throughout

Pulmonary:  Bilateral breath sounds, clear to auscultation

Chest: Inability to visualize the right medial clavicular notch or clavicular ridge along with palpable tenderness at the right upper sternoclavicular joint

MSK: The shoulders are asymmetric with the right slightly higher than the left. The right arm is held adducted and internally rotated in a sling. The patient is reluctant to abduct the right arm secondary to pain.

Neuro: No gross motor or sensory deficits were appreciated

Non-contributory

Sternoclavicular (SC) joint dislocation

SC joint dislocation can occur with anterior or posterior displacement of the medial clavicular head. Anterior dislocations are mostly caused by medial impact to the lateral shoulder. Anterior dislocations are more common and generally regarded as less serious. Conversely, posterior dislocations are more serious but less common. Posterior dislocations usually result from impact directly to the anterior chest wall. High-speed motor vehicle accidents or high-impact sports are common causes of posterior dislocations.

Subclavian vascular injury, pneumothorax, esophageal injury, cardiac arrhythmias, brachial plexus injury, tracheal injury, and thoracic outlet syndrome are all potential complications of an SC joint dislocation. When the medial head of the clavicle is forced posteriorly into the superior mediastinum several structures are at risk of impingement which could cause serious complications. In patients with suspicion of clavicular fracture or dislocation, the presence of dyspnea, stridor, dysphagia, or hoarseness should raise genuine concern for a compressive mediastinal syndrome that may require emergent closed or surgical relocation attempts.

Take-Home Points

  • An anterior medial head sternoclavicular dislocation is generally apparent and easily palpable on physical examination, while a posterior dislocation may be difficult to appreciate.
  • A posterior medial head sternoclavicular dislocation may require computed tomography to diagnose and requires computed tomography angiography to fully assess all mediastinal structures.
  • Closed reduction is the gold standard for the treatment of non-complicated posterior dislocations. Surgical fixation may be required when compressive complications such as vascular injury are confirmed or when closed reduction is unsuccessful.
  • Patients with a previous history of sternoclavicular dislocation are at higher risk of developing thoracic outlet syndrome.

Copyright

Images and cases from the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Clinical Images Exhibit at the 2021 SAEM Annual Meeting | Copyrighted by SAEM 2021 – all rights reserved. View other cases from this Clinical Image Series on ALiEM.

By |2023-08-05T22:35:21-07:00Aug 7, 2023|Orthopedic, SAEM Clinical Images, Sports Medicine|
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SAEM Clinical Images Series: My Eye is Swollen

eye

A 56-year-old male presented to the Emergency Department with a chief complaint of painful eyelid swelling and itching upon waking up. He reported no history of trauma or fever. He had one similar episode in the past which was self-limiting. The patient denied vision loss, diplopia, pain with extraocular movement, and ophthalmoplegia.

 

Vitals: T 37.4°C; BP 129/73; HR 91; RR 16

General: A/O x 3; well nourished in NAD

HEENT:  Extraocular movements intact in both eyes. Pupils are equal, round, and reactive to light and accommodation bilaterally. Visual Acuity: OD 20/20, OS 20/25.

Left eye: Diffuse swelling and erythema to the left upper and medial lower eyelids with minimal purulent discharge from the lacrimal puncta. Tenderness localized to the medial canthal region.

Right eye: Normal.

Complete blood count (CBC): within normal limits

Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP): within normal limits

Acute dacryocystitis. Dacryocystitis is defined by inflammation or infection of the nasolacrimal sac. Whether acute or chronic, acquired or congenital, inflammation is caused by obstruction of the nasolacrimal duct usually from infection, trauma, or a space-occupying lesion. The most common infectious organisms are Staphylococcus and beta-hemolytic streptococcus species. The classic clinical presentation is a sudden onset of swelling, erythema, and tenderness in the medial part of the orbit. Conjunctival injection and swelling around the entire orbit can suggest the development of preseptal cellulitis. Complications of dacryocystitis include orbital abscess, orbital cellulitis, vision loss, ophthalmoplegia, and eyelid necrosis. The differential diagnosis includes dacryoadenitis, lacrimal sac or sinonasal tumor, ethmoid sinusitis, and infected sebaceous or dermoid cyst.

Treatment for dacryocystitis depends on the severity and clinical manifestations of the disease. In mild cases, symptoms will resolve with the application of warm compresses, lacrimal sac massage (Crigler technique), and topical antibiotics if indicated. Severe cases may require oral or parenteral antibiotics and surgical decompression.

Take-Home Points

  • Dacryocystitis is inflammation of the medial nasolacrimal sac preceded by obstruction and may be acute or chronic, congenital or acquired.
  • Dacryocystitis exhibits a bimodal age distribution. The common congenital form is found in infancy, and in adulthood at age of 40 years older.
  • Dacryocystitis is occasionally mistaken for dacryoadenitis (inflammation of the nasolacrimal gland with superolateral eyelid edema). Far less common, dacryoadenitis is associated with systemic inflammatory conditions such as malignancy, Sjogren syndrome, sarcoidosis, Crohn’s disease, and other autoimmune diseases.
  • Proper recognition and prompt treatment may prevent serious complications including orbital cellulitis, vision loss, and sepsis.

  • Alsalamah AK, Alkatan HM, Al-Faky YH. Acute dacryocystitis complicated by orbital cellulitis and loss of vision: A case report and review of the literature. Int J Surg Case Rep. 2018;50:130-134. doi: 10.1016/j.ijscr.2018.07.045. Epub 2018 Aug 9. PMID: 30118963; PMCID: PMC6098209.
  • Carlisle RT, Digiovanni J. Differential Diagnosis of the Swollen Red Eyelid. Am Fam Physician. 2015 Jul 15;92(2):106-12. PMID: 26176369.

Copyright

Images and cases from the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Clinical Images Exhibit at the 2021 SAEM Annual Meeting | Copyrighted by SAEM 2021 – all rights reserved. View other cases from this Clinical Image Series on ALiEM.

By |2022-09-11T10:08:30-07:00Sep 19, 2022|HEENT, SAEM Clinical Images|
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SAEM Clinical Images Series: Localized Weakness

sturge-weber

A 69-year-old Caucasian female with a past medical history of seizures, cerebral vascular accident, and Parkinson’s disease presents by EMS for evaluation of a 30-minute episode of left upper and lower extremity weakness and left facial drooping. The patient complains of a right-sided “migraine-type” headache similar to that experienced with her prior stroke.

Vitals: Temp 36.5°C; BP 186/74; P 74; RR 18; O2 Sat 95%

General: Alert; no acute distress

Skin: Warm; dry; dark red discoloration localized to the left side of face, neck, chest, and upper extremity

HEENT: Normocephalic; left-sided facial droop; pupils are equal round and reactive to light

Cardiovascular: Regular rate and rhythm; no murmurs or gallops

Neurological: Alert and oriented x 4; CN II-XII grossly intact; slow and sluggish speech with left-sided facial droop; motor strength 4/5 LUE and LLE; tremor consistent with Parkinson’s disease

Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) and Complete Blood Count (CBC) are within normal limits.

Brain Computed Tomography demonstrates chronic atrophy, subcortical calcification, and microvascular ischemia.

Port-wine stain birthmark. This birthmark typically occurs on the forehead, scalp, or around the eye, and is unilateral. It is a manifestation of an overabundance of capillaries near the surface of the skin and exhibits a classic light pink to dark red discoloration.

When located around the eye, port wine stains have been associated with an increased incidence of glaucoma. Large port wine stains on the arm or leg have been associated with extra growth in that limb known as Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome. Port wine staining of the face, forehead, and scalp, when associated with cerebral leptomeningeal angiomas that elicit migraine headaches, seizures, strokes, and intellectual impairment as in this patient, are the classic findings of Sturge-Weber syndrome.

Take-Home Points

  • Sturge-Weber syndrome is the third most prevalent neurocutaneous disorder impacting 1 in 20,000 live births. It is a sporadic congenital neurocutaneous disorder that is caused by somatic activating mutations in the GNAQ gene.
  • Sturge-Weber syndrome is characterized by a facial port-wine stain, leptomeningeal angiomatosis, and glaucoma. Brain involvement can begin early in infancy, and manifests as seizures, strokes, stroke-like episodes, and a variety of neurological impairments.
  • Anticonvulsants, low-dose aspirin, and glaucoma medications are often employed in the management of Sturge-Weber syndrome as well as skin pulse dye laser therapy as desired for cosmesis. The prognosis of this condition depends on the extent of leptomeningeal involvement and the severity of glaucoma.

  • Comi AM. Sturge-Weber syndrome. Handb Clin Neurol. 2015;132:157-68. doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-62702-5.00011-1. PMID: 26564078.
  • Higueros E, Roe E, Granell E, Baselga E. Sturge-Weber Syndrome: A Review. ActasDermosifiliogr. 2017 Jun;108(5):407-417. English, Spanish. doi: 10.1016/j.ad.2016.09.022. Epub2017 Jan 23. PMID: 28126187.

Copyright

Images and cases from the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Clinical Images Exhibit at the 2021 SAEM Annual Meeting | Copyrighted by SAEM 2021 – all rights reserved. View other cases from this Clinical Image Series on ALiEM.

By |2022-08-18T21:54:43-07:00Aug 22, 2022|Dermatology, Neurology, SAEM Clinical Images|
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