Back to Search
Start Over
Sternum insufficiency fracture presenting as acute chest pain: a case report and review of the literature
- Source :
- European journal of emergency medicine : official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine. 13(2)
- Publication Year :
- 2006
-
Abstract
- The spine, pelvic bones and long bones of the lower extremities are common sites for insufficiency fractures. Cases of sternum insufficiency fractures have been rarely reported in an elderly patient. Insufficiency fracture tends to occur in bones with decreased mechanical strength. It tends to occur in elderly patients, especially in postmenopausal women, with underlying diseases. We describe a case of sternum insufficiency fracture in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus on long-term corticosteroid therapy diagnosed in an emergency setting. Sternum insufficiency fracture is a rare cause of chest pain. This case serves to remind the emergency physician to remain vigilant for other noncardiac and nontraumatic causes of chest pain. If diagnosed accurately, these patients can be discharged and treated as outpatients.
- Subjects :
- medicine.medical_specialty
Chest Pain
Sternum
business.industry
Middle Aged
Surgery
Arthritis, Rheumatoid
Fractures, Spontaneous
Adrenal Cortex Hormones
Mechanical strength
Emergency Medicine
Acute chest pain
medicine
Insufficiency fracture
Humans
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic
Female
Radiology
Elderly patient
business
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 09699546
- Volume :
- 13
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- European journal of emergency medicine : official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....03ca80e1306ae39796a8e0045bc6554e