UMEM Educational Pearls

Title: What's the Diagnosis? Image by Dr. Ahmed Alrasheedi

Posted: 3/2/2015 by Haney Mallemat, MD
Click here to contact Haney Mallemat, MD

Question

6 day-old child is brought in by parents with 1 day of reduced oral intake and 4 hours of rapid breathing. The child has no fever and no significant birth history. The child is tachycardic, hypotensive, and hypoxic. What’s the diagnosis?

Answer

Multiple rib fractures, bilateral clavicle fracture, and hemothorax.
This child was ultimately diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfect, but child abuse should be quite high on your differential.

References

Follow me on Twitter (@criticalcarenow) or Google+ (+criticalcarenow)