8. Brain Injury

Authors Keely Coxon, MD Dawn DeWitt, MD In this module Major types of brain injury Epidural hematoma Subdural hematoma Subarachnoid hemorrhage Intraparenchymal hemorrhage Coup-contrecoup head injury Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) Concussion (Mild Traumatic Brain Injury) Brain injury images lineup Rural and Remote Health Article This study contributes to understanding of the challenges experienced by rural […]

SOAP note guidance from APM

You have learned that the complete patient database contains the patient history, physical examination, all relevant/known investigative data, and importantly, the assessment and plan. . . . Remember that the function of the medical record is to communicate with yourself, and to communicate with others on the health care team. That goes for your assessment […]

Practice Cases

Patient 1: Joanna—I’m back on the ship Tap the arrow to view the case.A 51-year-old professor returns from a 2-week cruise to Alaska. The next morning, she calls your office to schedule a telemedicine visit. She tells you that she woke up, got out of bed, and then became “dizzy” and fell backward onto the […]

Case Study 4: My World Is Spinning

Case study 4: Min—My world is spinning Tap the image to view the case. A 62-year-old woman comes to see you about repeated episodes of spinning vertigo over five days, which gradually improved. Today (day 7), she gets 15–45 seconds of vertigo brought on by movement such as rolling over in bed. She denies tinnitus, […]

Case Study 3: I Passed Out

Case study 3: Frank—I passed out Tap the image to view the case. A 62-year-old man with a history of cluster headaches and MI comes to the office because he has increasing dizziness. He passed out yesterday while walking. Past smoker, quit 5 years ago. Brother had an MI at 55. Question Check your answer […]

Case Study 2: Dizzy Doing Dishes

Case study 2: Opal—Dizzy doing dishes Tap the image to view the case. A 72-year-old woman passed out when she turned her head to answer a question from her son while reaching to get dishes from a high cupboard. She felt dizzy for a few seconds before she lost consciousness. No chest pain. No known […]

Case Study 1: Bug Bite While Swimming

Case study 1: Jeremy—Bug bite while swimming Tap the arrow to view the case.A previously healthy, athletic 40-year-old man is brought in by ambulance. He is hypotensive after collapsing. While he was swimming, he was bitten by a large fly or bee on the forehead and bled from the bite. He suddenly felt unwell and […]

7. Dizziness/Syncope

Author Dawn DeWitt, MD In this module Overview “Dizziness” (“feeling faint,” pre-syncope) is experienced by almost everyone. Temporary loss of consciousness due to decreased blood flow to the brain (fainting). 1 of every 30 ED visits. Differentiate from vertigo—a feeling of movement, spinning, motion sickness Main causes: BPV, Meniere’s, 8th nerve tumour, posterior circulation stroke. […]

References

Adanabikusm D.P. Peripheral Nerve Pathology. Neuropathology. Updated February 2011. Peripheral Neuropathy Fact Sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Accessed April 26, 2022. Agamanolis D.P. Peripheral Nerve Pathology. Neuropathology. Updated February 2011. Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy. National Organization for Rare Disorders. Accessed April 26, 2022. Poncelet AN. An algorithm for the evaluation of peripheral […]

Knowledge Check

This quiz deliberately has both peripheral neuropathy items and central neurological lesion items to help you test your knowledge in distinguishing between the two. question Which of the following are associated with the patients below? (Not all items will be associated with a patient.) Median nerve/Carpal tunnel Ulnar neuropathy Mononeuritis multiplex Radiculopathy Vitamin B12 deficiency […]