What is the most likely diagnosis for a 20-year-old wrestler with right arm cellulitis and acute swelling and redness after a match?

Prepare for the Orthopedic Certified Specialist Exam with our comprehensive quiz. Utilize multiple choice questions with detailed explanations to ensure you're ready. Boost your confidence and tackle the exam with ease!

Multiple Choice

What is the most likely diagnosis for a 20-year-old wrestler with right arm cellulitis and acute swelling and redness after a match?

Explanation:
The most appropriate diagnosis for a 20-year-old wrestler experiencing right arm cellulitis with acute swelling and redness after a match is Paget-Schroetter Syndrome. This condition, also known as effort thrombosis, occurs primarily in young, athletic individuals, particularly those engaged in activities that require repetitive overhead movements, such as wrestling. In this scenario, the swelling and redness could be indicative of thrombosis in the subclavian vein, often associated with compression or injury to the vascular structures during physical activity. The fact that the individual is a wrestler, engaging in physical exertion and potential trauma during matches, increases the likelihood of vascular events leading to cellulitis as a secondary finding due to compromised venous return or a thrombus in a deep vein. Other options present certain symptoms but do not align as closely with the presented clinical picture. A muscle strain may cause localized pain and swelling but typically lacks systemic signs like redness and cellulitis, which indicate an infection or vascular involvement. A rotator cuff injury would mainly be characterized by pain and loss of function, particularly with arm elevation, but would not usually present with cellulitis. Shoulder dislocation may result in significant pain and visible deformity but is not connected to cellulitis or swelling in the same manner

The most appropriate diagnosis for a 20-year-old wrestler experiencing right arm cellulitis with acute swelling and redness after a match is Paget-Schroetter Syndrome. This condition, also known as effort thrombosis, occurs primarily in young, athletic individuals, particularly those engaged in activities that require repetitive overhead movements, such as wrestling.

In this scenario, the swelling and redness could be indicative of thrombosis in the subclavian vein, often associated with compression or injury to the vascular structures during physical activity. The fact that the individual is a wrestler, engaging in physical exertion and potential trauma during matches, increases the likelihood of vascular events leading to cellulitis as a secondary finding due to compromised venous return or a thrombus in a deep vein.

Other options present certain symptoms but do not align as closely with the presented clinical picture. A muscle strain may cause localized pain and swelling but typically lacks systemic signs like redness and cellulitis, which indicate an infection or vascular involvement. A rotator cuff injury would mainly be characterized by pain and loss of function, particularly with arm elevation, but would not usually present with cellulitis. Shoulder dislocation may result in significant pain and visible deformity but is not connected to cellulitis or swelling in the same manner

Subscribe

Get the latest from Examzify

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy