Back Pain – Case Report and a Proposed Three-Step Mind Map to Approach Back Pain in the Emergency Department
Authors:
Ayesha Almemari,
Amani Mohamed Abdelwahab Elkhalifa,
Mohamed Ibrahim Elsakati,
Sarah Mohammed Bin Hariz
Background: Emergency medicine is instrumental in addressing undifferentiated patient concerns, particularly those related to non-traumatic back pain. While a significant portion of these presentations are benign, it is essential to maintain a systematic approach to identifying individuals with serious underlying conditions. Case Presentation: A 47-year-old man presented with six months of escalating upper back pain. He had been slated for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan through an outpatient neurosurgery clinic, but this was delayed. A thoracic spine computed tomography scan in the emergency department revealed notable abnormalities at the T9 vertebral level. A subsequent MRI detected a major bone lesion with tumor intrusion into the spinal canal. Diagnosis revealed metastatic thyroid papillary carcinoma, leading to surgical interventions and subsequent treatments. Conclusion: Given the frequency with which back pain concerns are addressed across medical specialties, it is vital to recognize potential red flags and adhere to a structured assessment approach. Timely imaging, guided by the patient's presentation and physical examinations, reduces the risk of missing serious pathologies.
Keywords: Back pain, red flags, MRI, CT scan, structured approach.
Authors
Correspondence to:
Ayesha Almemari, Consultant Emergency Medicine and Critical Care, Shaikh Shakbout Medical City, Abu Dhabi, UAE amemari@ssmc.ae
Publication history:
Received 24 Apr 2023
Accepted 22 Aug 2023
Published online 04 Nov 2023
Published in print 16 Dec 2023
Almemari A, Elkhalifa AMA, Elsakati MI, Hariz SMB. Back Pain – Case Report and a Proposed Three-Step Mind Map to Approach Back Pain in the Emergency Department. SJEMed. 2023; 4(3): 181-184. doi:
10.24911/SJEMed/72-1682372805
Almemari A, Elkhalifa AMA, Elsakati MI, Hariz SMB. Back Pain – Case Report and a Proposed Three-Step Mind Map to Approach Back Pain in the Emergency Department. https://sjemed.com/?mno=150751 [Access: November 14, 2024]. doi:
10.24911/SJEMed/72-1682372805
Almemari A, Elkhalifa AMA, Elsakati MI, Hariz SMB. Back Pain – Case Report and a Proposed Three-Step Mind Map to Approach Back Pain in the Emergency Department. SJEMed. 2023; 4(3): 181-184. doi:
10.24911/SJEMed/72-1682372805
Almemari A, Elkhalifa AMA, Elsakati MI, Hariz SMB. Back Pain – Case Report and a Proposed Three-Step Mind Map to Approach Back Pain in the Emergency Department. SJEMed. (2023), [cited November 14, 2024]; 4(3): 181-184. doi:
10.24911/SJEMed/72-1682372805
Almemari, A., Elkhalifa, . A. M. A., Elsakati, . M. I. & Hariz, . S. M. B. (2023) Back Pain – Case Report and a Proposed Three-Step Mind Map to Approach Back Pain in the Emergency Department. SJEMed, 4 (3), 181-184. doi:
10.24911/SJEMed/72-1682372805
Almemari, Ayesha, Amani Mohamed Abdelwahab Elkhalifa, Mohamed Ibrahim Elsakati, and Sarah Mohammed Bin Hariz. 2023. Back Pain – Case Report and a Proposed Three-Step Mind Map to Approach Back Pain in the Emergency Department. Saudi Journal of Emergency Medicine, 4 (3), 181-184. doi:
10.24911/SJEMed/72-1682372805
Almemari, Ayesha, Amani Mohamed Abdelwahab Elkhalifa, Mohamed Ibrahim Elsakati, and Sarah Mohammed Bin Hariz. "Back Pain – Case Report and a Proposed Three-Step Mind Map to Approach Back Pain in the Emergency Department." Saudi Journal of Emergency Medicine 4 (2023), 181-184. doi:
10.24911/SJEMed/72-1682372805
Almemari, Ayesha, Amani Mohamed Abdelwahab Elkhalifa, Mohamed Ibrahim Elsakati, and Sarah Mohammed Bin Hariz. "Back Pain – Case Report and a Proposed Three-Step Mind Map to Approach Back Pain in the Emergency Department." Saudi Journal of Emergency Medicine 4.3 (2023), 181-184. Print. doi:
10.24911/SJEMed/72-1682372805
Almemari, A., Elkhalifa, . A. M. A., Elsakati, . M. I. & Hariz, . S. M. B. (2023) Back Pain – Case Report and a Proposed Three-Step Mind Map to Approach Back Pain in the Emergency Department. Saudi Journal of Emergency Medicine, 4 (3), 181-184. doi:
10.24911/SJEMed/72-1682372805