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Myxoedema and a lost wedding ring
Author(s) -
Catanchin Andrei,
Ebeling Peter R
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2003.tb05504.x
Subject(s) - citation , library science , computer science
A 44-YEAR-OLD WOMAN was brought to hospital by police. Over a period of years she had isolated herself and her daughter from society, arousing the concern of neighbours. A scant history of “schizophrenia”, personality disorder and intellectual disability was obtained from distant relatives. Examination revealed classic clinical features of profound hypothyroidism. In addition, a lump was found on the patient’s ring finger (Box 1, A). Her mental state necessitated admission, after a psychiatric consultation, as an involuntary patient. yroidism x 2). An ng totally arted on erred to a nt in her e of child The Medical Journal of Australia ISSN: 0025729X 18 August 2003 179 4 211-211 ©The Medical Journal of Australia 2003 www.mja.com.au Snapshot Investigations confirmed the diagnosis of hypoth and indicat naemi due to iron deficiency (Bo x-ray of the lump (Box 1, B) revealed a wedding ri encased in the soft tissue. The patient was st thyroxine and antipsychotic medication and transf psychiatric institution, with marginal improveme mental state. Her daughter was removed to the car welfare authorities. The wedding ring was surgically removed. Histopathological examination of the lump revealed a foreign body granuloma with chronic low-grade Staphylococcus aureus infection.