Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 24, 2026
10:10
Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty
Published on: July 5, 2011
44.2K
Infective Endocarditis Presenting as Right Shoulder Pain: A Case Report
Kenji Mizokami1, Masafumi Gotoh, Yasuhiro Mitsui
1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kurume University Medical Center.
The Kurume Medical Journal
|March 4, 2016
Summary
Infective endocarditis can cause referred right shoulder pain, a rare symptom. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to prevent serious complications from this serious heart valve infection.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Rheumatology
Background:
- Referred shoulder pain is commonly associated with ischemic heart disease.
- Reports linking infective endocarditis to referred right shoulder pain are notably absent in medical literature.
Observation:
- A 43-year-old male presented with severe right shoulder pain and fever.
- Initial investigations revealed inflammation and liver dysfunction, with MRI ruling out septic arthritis.
- Contrast-enhanced CT identified splenic, hepatic, and renal infarctions, and echocardiography detected cardiac vegetation.
Findings:
- The patient was diagnosed with infective endocarditis based on clinical presentation and diagnostic imaging.
- Intravenous antibiotic therapy was initiated for the diagnosed condition.
Implications:
- This case highlights infective endocarditis as a potential cause of referred right shoulder pain.
- Physicians should consider serious internal pathologies, including infective endocarditis, in patients presenting with referred shoulder pain.
- Prompt diagnosis and management of infective endocarditis are essential to avert severe complications.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Endocarditis I: Introduction
740
Introduction:Endocarditis is the infection of the endocardium, the inner lining of the heart and its valves. When the heart muscle is involved, the condition is termed myocarditis, while an infection of the outer lining is called pericarditis. Infective endocarditis (IE) primarily affects the endocardium, where pathogens adhere to the valves or lining, forming vegetation that can lead to severe complications. Infective endocarditis occurs when microorganisms, usually bacteria from other body...
740
01:25Endocarditis II: Clinical Features of Infective Endocarditis
748
Endocarditis can present various clinical features depending on the causative organism and the patient's underlying health conditions. Initially, the clinical features of infective endocarditis develop gradually, presenting with nonspecific symptoms that can be easily mistaken for other illnesses.General SymptomsEarly symptoms of infective endocarditis are fever, chills, weakness, malaise, fatigue, and weight loss. These symptoms reflect the systemic nature of the infection and the body's...
748
01:29Endocarditis IV: Nursing Management
561
Infective endocarditis (IE) is a chronic infection of the heart's endocardium, primarily affecting the heart valves. A detailed nursing assessment for a patient with IE involves collecting subjective and objective data to ensure an accurate diagnosis and timely intervention.Subjective DataThe nurse gathers information about the patient's symptoms and complaints during the subjective assessment. Patients with infective endocarditis often report non-specific symptoms that can mimic other...
561
01:23Rheumatic Heart Disease I: Introduction
834
Rheumatic heart disease or RHD is a chronic condition that results from rheumatic fever, causing permanent damage to the heart valves.Etiology and Risk FactorsIt primarily arises from rheumatic fever, an inflammatory disease that can develop after untreated or inadequately treated group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis. Streptococcus spreads through direct contact with oral or respiratory secretions. While the bacteria are the causative agents, factors like malnutrition, overcrowding, poor...
834
01:19Pericarditis II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Tests
512
Pericarditis is distinguished by inflammation of the pericardium, the fibrous sac that encases the heart. It can be acute, lasting less than six weeks, or chronic, persisting for over three months. Understanding its clinical manifestations and diagnostic findings is crucial for timely and effective management.Clinical ManifestationsWhile pericarditis can be asymptomatic, it usually presents with characteristic symptoms such as:Chest Pain: The most characteristic symptom of pericarditis is chest...
512
01:22Rheumatic Heart Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
982
The key clinical manifestations of Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) include several distinct cardiac symptoms.Carditis, a hallmark of acute rheumatic fever, involves inflammation of the heart's endocardium, myocardium, and pericardium. Chronic RHD often results from recurrent episodes of carditis. Its symptoms include the following:Murmurs are caused by valvular damage, especially to the mitral and aortic valves. Mitral stenosis or regurgitation is common, with characteristic heart murmurs...
982