Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine

Introduction: Patients with traumatic injuries can be difficult to assess, and their evaluation often evolves in the emergency department (ED). We describe how an ED attending physician member developed a differential diagnosis for this presentation, arrived at a suspected diagnosis, and what test he proposed to prove his hypothesis.

Case Presentation: This clinicopathological case presentation details the initial assessment and management of a 73-year-old female who presented to the ED following a motor vehicle collision precipitated by a syncopal episode.

Conclusion: The final surprising diagnosis is then revealed.