A 61-year-old woman presents to the emergency room with right hand pain and numbness. She was jogging around her neighborhood when she tripped and fell on her outstretched hand 3 hours prior to presentation. She reports severe wrist pain and numbness along the medial aspect of her hand. Her past medical history is notable for osteoporosis and gastroesophageal reflux disease. She takes omeprazole. She has a 10-pack-year smoking history. She has severe tenderness to palpation diffusely around her right wrist. She has decreased sensation to light touch along the palmar medial 2 digits. Sensation to light touch is normal throughout the palm and in the lateral 3 digits. When she is asked to extend all of her fingers, her 4th and 5th fingers are hyperextended at the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints and flexed at the interphalangeal (IP) joints. Which of the following nerves is most likely affected in this patient?
APosterior interosseous nerve
BProximal ulnar nerve
CDistal median nerve
DRecurrent branch of the median nerve
EDistal ulnar nerve
A 53-year-old woman comes to the physician because of a 3-month history of intermittent severe left neck, shoulder, and arm pain and paresthesias of the left hand. The pain radiates to the radial aspect of her left forearm, thumb, and index finger. She first noticed her symptoms after helping a friend set up a canopy tent. There is no family history of serious illness. She appears healthy. Vital signs are within normal limits. When the patient extends and rotates her head to the left and downward pressure is applied, she reports paresthesias along the radial aspect of her left forearm and thumb. There is weakness when extending the left wrist against resistance. The brachioradialis reflex is 1+ on the left and 2+ on the right. The radial pulse is palpable bilaterally. The remainder of the examination shows no abnormalities. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
ACarpal tunnel syndrome
BSyringomyelia
CAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis
DC5-C6 disc herniation
EThoracic outlet syndrome
A 33-year-old man presents to his primary care physician with shoulder pain. He states that he can't remember a specific instance when the injury occurred. He is a weight lifter and competes in martial arts. The patient has no past medical history and is currently taking a multivitamin. Physical exam demonstrates pain with abduction of the patient's right shoulder and with external rotation of the right arm. There is subacromial tenderness with palpation. His left arm demonstrates 10/10 strength with abduction as compared to 4/10 strength with abduction of the right arm. Which of the following best confirms the underlying diagnosis?
AUltrasound
BRadiography
CMRI
DCT
EPhysical exam and history
+ 7 more in the PDF
Browse all chapters