First Aid for the USMLE Step 2 CS

Section 3. Minicases

Dyspareunia

Key History

Duration, timing; associated symptoms (vaginal discharge, rash, painful menses, GI symptoms, hot flashes); adequacy of lubrication, menopausal status, libido; sexual history, history of sexual trauma or domestic violence; history of endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, or prior abdominal/pelvic surgeries.

Key Physical Exam

Vital signs; abdominal exam; complete pelvic exam.

DYSPAREUNIA (cant'd)

Presentation

Differential

Workup

■ 54 yo F c/o painful intercourse. Her last menstrual period was 9 months ago. She has hot flashes.

Atrophic vaginitis

Endometriosis

Cervicitis

Depression

Domestic violence

Pelvic exam

LH/FSH

Wet mount, KOH prep

Cervical cultures

■ 37 yo F presents with dyspareunia, inability to conceive, and dysmenorrhea.

Endometriosis

Cervicitis

Vaginismus

Vulvodynia

Pelvic inflammatory

disease

Depression

Domestic violence

Pelvic exam

Wet mount, KOH prep

Cervical cultures

U/S—pelvis

Laparoscopy

Endometrial biopsy

Abuse

Key History

Establish confidentiality; directly question about physical, sexual, or emotional abuse and about fear, safety, backup plan; history of frequent accidents/injuries, mental illness, drug use; firearms in the home.

Key Physical Exam

Vital signs; complete exam ± pelvic exam.

Presentation

Differential

Workup

■ 28 yo F c/o multiple facial and bodily injuries. She claims that she fell on the stairs. She was hospitalized for physical injuries 7 months ago. She presents with her husband.

Domestic violence

Osteogenesis imperfecta

Substance abuse

Consensual violent sexual behavior

XR—skeletal survey

CT—maxillofacial

Urine toxicology

CBC

Joint/Limb Pain

Key History

Location, quality, intensity, duration, pattern (small vs. large joints; number involved; swelling, redness, warmth); associated symptoms (constitutional, red eye, oral or genital ulceration, diarrhea, dysuria, rash, focal numbness/weak- ness, morning stiffness); exacerbating and alleviating factors; trauma (including vigorous exercise); medications; DVT risk factors; alcohol and drug use; family history of rheumatic disease.

Key Physical Exam

Vital signs; HEENT and musculoskeletal exams; relevant neurovascular exam.

ABUSE (cant'd)

Presentation

Differential

Workup

■ 30 yo F presents with multiple facial and physical injuries. She states that she was attacked and raped by 2 men.

Rape

Domestic violence

Forensic exam (sexual assault forensic evidence [SAFE] collection kit)

Pelvic exam

Urine hCG

Wet mount, KOH prep

Cervical cultures

Chlamydia and gonorrhea testing

XR—skeletal survey

CBC

HIV antibody

Viral hepatitis serologies

Presentation

Differential

Workup

■ 30 yo F presents with wrist pain and a black eye after tripping, falling, and hitting her head on the edge of a table. She looks anxious and gives an inconsistent story.

Domestic violence

Factitious disorder

Substance abuse

XR—wrist

CT—head

Urine toxicology

JOINT/LIMB PAIN (cont'd)

Presentation

Differential

Workup

■ 30 yo F secretary presents with wrist pain and a sensation of numbness and burning in her palm and the first, second, and third fingers of her right hand. The pain worsens at night and is relieved by loose shaking of the hand. There is sensory loss in the same fingers. Exam reveals a positive Tinel’s sign.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Median nerve

compression in the forearm or arm

Radiculopathy of nerve roots C6 and C7 in the cervical spine

De Quervain’s tenosynovitis

Phalen’s maneuver and Tinel’s sign Finkelstein’s test

Nerve conduction studies

EMG

■ 28 yo F presents with pain in the interphalangeal joints of her hands accompanied by hair loss and a rash on her face.

Systemic lupus

erythematosus (SLE)

Rheumatoid arthritis Psoriatic arthritis Parvovirus B19 infection

ANA, anti-dsDNA, ESR, C3, C4, RF, CCP CBC

XR—hands UA

Antibody titers for parvovirus B19

■ 28 yo F presents with pain in the metacarpophalangeal joints of both hands. Her left knee is also painful and red. She has morning joint stiffness that lasts for an hour. Her mother had rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis

SLE

Disseminated gonorrhea

Arthritis associated with inflammatory bowel disease

XR—hands, left knee ANA, anti-dsDNA, ESR, RF, CCP CBC

Cervical culture Arthrocentesis and synovial fluid analysis

■ 18 yo M presents with pain in the interphalangeal joints of both hands. He also has scaly, salmon-pink lesions on the extensor surface of his elbows and knees.

Psoriatic arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis

SLE

Gout

ANA, ESR, RF, CCP CBC

XR—hands

XR—pelvis/sacroiliac joints

Uric acid

■ 65 yo F presents with inability to use her left leg or bear weight on it after tripping on a carpet. Onset of menopause was 20 years ago, and she did not receive HRT or calcium supplements. Her left leg is externally rotated, shortened, and adducted, and there is tenderness in her left groin.

Hip fracture

Hip dislocation

Pelvic fracture

XR—hip/pelvis CT or MRI—hip CBC, type and cross Serum calcium and vitamin D

Bone density scan (DEXA)

JOINT/LIMB PAIN (cont'd)

Presentation

Differential

Workup

■ 40 yo M presents with pain in the right groin after a motor vehicle accident. His right leg is flexed at the hip, adducted, and internally rotated.

Hip dislocation— traumatic

Hip fracture

XR—hip CT or MRI—hip CBC, type and cross PT/PTT

Urine toxicology and blood alcohol level

■ 56 yo obese F presents with right knee stiffness and pain that increases with movement. Her symptoms have gradually worsened over the past 10 years. She has noticed swelling and deformity of the joint and is having difficulty walking.

Osteoarthritis

Pseudogout

Gout

Meniscal or ligament damage

XR—knee

CBC

ESR

Knee arthrocentesis and synovial fluid analysis (cell count, Gram stain, culture, crystals)

Uric acid MRI—knee

■ 45 yo M presents with fevers and right knee pain with swelling and redness.

Septic arthritis

Gout

Pseudogout Lyme arthritis Trauma

Reiter’s syndrome (reactive arthritis)

CBC

Knee arthrocentesis and synovial fluid analysis (cell count, Gram stain, culture, crystals)

Blood, urethral cultures XR—knee

Uric acid

Lyme titers—IgG and IgM

65 yo M presents with right foot pain. He has been training for a marathon.

Stress fracture

Plantar fasciitis Foot sprain or strain

XR—foot Bone scan—foot MRI—foot

65 yo M presents with pain in the heel of the right foot that is most notable with his first few steps and then improves as he continues walking. He has no known trauma.

Plantar fasciitis

Heel fracture Splinter/foreign body

XR—heel Bone scan—foot

55 yo M presents with pain in the elbow when he plays tennis. His grip is impaired as a result of the pain. There is tenderness over the lateral epicondyle as well as pain on resisted wrist dorsiflexion (Cozen’s test) with the elbow in extension.

Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)

Stress fracture

XR—arm Bone scan MRI—elbow

JOINT/LIMB PAIN (cont'd)

Presentation

Differential

Workup

■ 27 yo F presents with painful wrists and elbows, a swollen and hot knee joint that is painful on flexion, a rash on her limbs, and vaginal discharge. She is sexually active with multiple partners and occasionally uses condoms.

Disseminated gonorrhea

Rheumatoid arthritis SLE

Reiter’s syndrome (reactive arthritis)

Knee arthrocentesis and synovial fluid analysis (cell count, Gram stain, culture)

ANA, anti-dsDNA, ESR, RF, CCP CBC

Blood,

cervical cultures

XR—knee

■ 60 yo F presents with pain in both legs that is induced by walking and is relieved by rest. She had cardiac bypass surgery 6 months ago and continues to smoke heavily.

Peripheral vascular disease (intermittent claudication)

Leriche syndrome (aortoiliac occlusive disease)

Lumbar spinal stenosis (pseudoclaudication)

Osteoarthritis

Ankle-brachial index

Doppler U/S—lower extremity

Angiography

MRI—L-spine

■ 45 yo F presents with right calf pain. Her calf is tender, warm, red, and swollen compared to the left side. She was started on OCPs 2 months ago for dysfunctional uterine bleeding.

DVT

Baker’s cyst rupture

Myositis

Cellulitis

Superficial venous thrombosis

Doppler U/S—right leg

CBC

D-dimer

■ 60 yo F c/o left arm pain that started while she was swimming and was relieved by rest.

Angina/MI

Tendinitis

Osteoarthritis

ECG

CBC

XR—shoulder

CXR

Echocardiography

Stress test

50 yo M presents with right shoulder pain after falling onto his outstretched hand while skiing. He noticed deformity of his shoulder and had to hold his right arm.

Shoulder dislocation

Fracture of the humerus

Rotator cuff injury

XR—shoulder

XR—arm

MRI—shoulder

JOINT/LIMB PAIN (cant'd)

Presentation

Differential

Workup

■ 55 yo M presents with crampy bilateral thigh and calf pain, fatigue, and dark urine. He is on simvastatin and clofibrate for hyperlipidemia.

Rhabdomyolysis due to statins

Polymyositis

Inclusion body myositis

CBC

Phosphate, potassium,

BUN/Cr, glucose, calcium, uric acid

CPK

Aldolase

UA

Urine myoglobin





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