Diagnostic dilemma — Unusual case reports from the medical literature

Doctors write case reports to help call rare conditions to the attention of their peers, or to highlight patients whose diagnoses ended up being a bit of a puzzle. Case reports can shed light on emerging trends, hinting at when a condition might be becoming more common. They can also point out treatments that seem to work for diseases that have very few therapeutic options. At Live Science, our writers and editors highlight a report each week to raise awareness of these cases, and in the process, shed light on how the human body works and what happens when things go awry.
Latest about Diagnostic dilemma

Diagnostic dilemma: One Direction concert left teen with 'crackling' bubbles in her chest
By Mindy Weisberger published
In what doctors called an "extraordinary" case, a teenage girl developed several rare conditions after attending a pop concert.

Diagnostic dilemma: A man ended up in the ER after drinking 6 gallons of milk in 2 days
By Mindy Weisberger published
A man experiencing excessive thirst drank lots of milk, with dangerous consequences.

Diagnostic dilemma: A woman injected herself with venom from a black widow spider
By Mindy Weisberger published
Most exposures to black widow spider venom are accidental, but in a rare medical case, the exposure was intentional.

Diagnostic dilemma: A man huffed computer cleaner for years. Then his hands started growing.
By Christoph Schwaiger published
A man was diagnosed with skeletal fluorosis, which likely emerged due to him inhaling substances that damaged his bones.

Diagnostic dilemma: A woman started sweating blood from her face and hands
By Christoph Schwaiger published
A 21-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital after she was bleeding from her face and palms, with no obvious cause.

Diagnostic dilemma: A woman's nut allergy was triggered after sex
By Mindy Weisberger published
A woman with a known nut allergy had a severe allergic reaction after sex, even though her partner bathed and brushed his teeth first. Here's why.

Diagnostic dilemma: A surgeon accidentally transplanted a tumor into his own hand
By Mindy Weisberger published
In an unusual case, a surgeon developed a cancerous lump on his hand that stemmed from an injury he sustained while performing surgery.

Diagnostic dilemma: Doctors find 27 contact lenses in woman's eye ahead of routine surgery
By Christoph Schwaiger published
A patient went to the doctor for cataract surgery, but her physicians were surprised to find a huge, foreign mass under her eyelid.
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