Welcome back to Mystery Case Monday! We will be posting a hypothetical case every week to get our pre-health students thinking about various clinical issues and the anatomical/physiological causes that underlie them. Join us in the comments section to share your insights and tentative diagnoses, then check back on Friday to read about the diagnosis and recommended treatments of these cases.
This week's hypothetical 57-year-old patient has been experiencing pain in the lower left side of his abdomen and has had a persistent fever for several days. He is constipated and has been feeling nauseous, but has only actually vomited once this week. Our patient has been a smoker most of his life and his BMI is 35. He reports having a diet that is high in red meat and dairy and low in fiber and he does not recall the last time that he engaged in any vigorous exercise. He reports using Advil frequently to relieve joint pain. After conducting a physical examination, his physician orders a liver enzyme test and CT scan. The liver enzyme test is normal, but the CT scan confirms the physician's suspected diagnosis. The physician tells the patient to move to a liquid diet for a few days before gradually introducing solid foods. They have a conversation about gradually improving diet and exercise habits to avoid further complications that could require surgical intervention. She recommends that the patient stop taking Advil and use Tylenol as needed to manage pain.
Thought Questions:
Thought Questions:
What is the most likely diagnosis for this patient?
What causes this condition? How is it prevented?
What are the anatomical structures involved in this clinical issue?
What kind of surgical intervention would be needed if this condition progressed?
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