Digestive Dilemmas

1. A young boy is brought to the clinic with a fever and pain in his jaw – especially when salivating. His parents believe he has dislocated his jaw, which is obviously swollen on the left side. Child is, otherwise, in good health despite not being current with normal vaccinations. Luckily the clinic has seen a number of similar cases in the past 2 weeks, so the diagnosis is quick. What is the diagnosis?

2. A man comments to his doctor at the clinic that he gets a “full”, very uncomfortable feeling in his chest after every meal; as if the food were lodged there instead of traveling to his stomach. The doctor states that the description fits the condition called achalasia, in which the valve between the esophagus and stomach fails to open. What valve is involved?

3. Mr. Ashe, a man in his mid-60’s, comes to the clinic complaining of heartburn. Questioning by the clinic staff reveals that the severity of his attacks is increased when he lies down after eating a heavy meal. The man is about 50 pounds overweight.

  1. What is your diagnosis?
  2. Without treatment, what conditions might Mr. Ashe be at risk of developing?

4. A young woman is put through an extensive battery of tests to determine the cause of her “stomach pains”. She is diagnosed with gastric ulcers. An antihistamine drug is prescribed and she is sent home.

a.What is the mechanism of her medication?

b.What life-threatening problems can result from a poorly managed ulcer?

c.Why did the clinic doctor warn the woman not to take aspirin?

5. Continuing from the previous question, the woman’s ulcer got worse. She started complaining of back pain. The physician discovered that the back pain occurred because the ulcer had perforated and the pancreas was now damaged.

a. What is a perforated ulcer?

  1. Use logic to deduce how a perforating gastric ulcer could come to damage the pancreas.

Digestive Dilemmas

1. A young boy is brought to the clinic with a fever and pain in his jaw – especially when salivating. His parents believe he has dislocated his jaw, which is obviously swollen on the left side. Child is, otherwise, in good health despite not being current with normal vaccinations. Luckily the clinic has seen a number of similar cases in the past 2 weeks, so the diagnosis is quick. What is the diagnosis?

2. A man comments to his doctor at the clinic that he gets a “full”, very uncomfortable feeling in his chest after every meal; as if the food were lodged there instead of traveling to his stomach. The doctor states that the description fits the condition called achalasia, in which the valve between the esophagus and stomach fails to open. What valve is involved?

3. Mr. Ashe, a man in his mid-60’s, comes to the clinic complaining of heartburn. Questioning by the clinic staff reveals that the severity of his attacks is increased when he lies down after eating a heavy meal. The man is about 50 pounds overweight.

  1. What is your diagnosis?
  2. Without treatment, what conditions might Mr. Ashe be at risk of developing?

4. A young woman is put through an extensive battery of tests to determine the cause of her “stomach pains”. She is diagnosed with gastric ulcers. An antihistamine drug is prescribed and she is sent home.

d.What is the mechanism of her medication?

e.What life-threatening problems can result from a poorly managed ulcer?

f.Why did the clinic doctor warn the woman not to take aspirin?

5. Continuing from the previous question, the woman’s ulcer got worse. She started complaining of back pain. The physician discovered that the back pain occurred because the ulcer had perforated and the pancreas was now damaged.

a. What is a perforated ulcer?

  1. Use logic to deduce how a perforating gastric ulcer could come to damage the pancreas.

6. An elderly man, found unconscious in the alley behind a local restaurant is brought to the clinic in a

patrol car. His abdomen is distended, his skin and scleras (white part of the eye) are yellow, and he reeks of alcohol.

  1. What do you surmise is the cause of his condition?
  2. What terms are used to describe the various aspects of his appearance?

7. A feverish 12-year old girl named Kelly is brought to the clinic complaining of pain in the lower right abdominal quadrant. According to her parents, for the past week she has been eating poorly and often vomits when she does eat. She doubles over in pain when asked to bear weight on her right leg. Her white blood cell count is also elevated.

a. What condition doe you suspect?

b. What treatment will she need?

c. What complication will occur if treatment is given too late?

8. A woman in her 50’s complains of bloating, cramping, and diarrhea when she drinks milk.

a. What is the cause of her complaint

b. What is a good solution?

9. A man at the clinic complains of diarrhea after eating, and relates that it is most pronounced when he eats starches. Subsequent dietary variations reveal intolerance to that and other grains, but no problems with rice. What condition do you suspect?

10. A new mother is worried about her week-old infant. The baby has begun to turn blue whenever it is fed and chokes during each feeding.

a. What developmental abnormality do you suspect?

b. How will it be corrected?

6. An elderly man, found unconscious in the alley behind a local restaurant is brought to the clinic in a

patrol car. His abdomen is distended, his skin and scleras (white part of the eye) are yellow, and he reeks of alcohol.

  1. What do you surmise is the cause of his condition?
  2. What terms are used to describe the various aspects of his appearance?

7. A feverish 12-year old girl named Kelly is brought to the clinic complaining of pain in the lower right abdominal quadrant. According to her parents, for the past week she has been eating poorly and often vomits when she does eat. She doubles over in pain when asked to bear weight on her right leg. Her white blood cell count is also elevated.

a. What condition doe you suspect?

b. What treatment will she need?

c. What complication will occur if treatment is given too late?

8. A woman in her 50’s complains of bloating, cramping, and diarrhea when she drinks milk.

a. What is the cause of her complaint

b. What is a good solution?

9. A man at the clinic complains of diarrhea after eating, and relates that it is most pronounced when he eats starches. Subsequent dietary variations reveal intolerance to that and other grains, but no problems with rice. What condition do you suspect?

10. A new mother is worried about her week-old infant. The baby has begun to turn blue whenever it is fed and chokes during each feeding.

a. What developmental abnormality do you suspect?

b. How will it be corrected?

Cathy,

I need 21 of these, front and back, cut in half.

Thanks.

Suzy