rheumatic nodules: one of the rare manifestations of rheumatic fever a major sign of acute rheumatic fever. the swelling on forearm and back are easy to make out. this was a 10 yr old boy with mitral regurgitation with acute rheumatic fever. for our surprise this child also had chorea , carditis joint pains and rheumatic nodules. may be we were not that expert to pick up the transient erythema marginatum.
rheumatic nodules can come in crops, various sizes rounded subcutaneus bulges on extensor aspects of body. This patient had them even on scalp and forehead. Although they range from sizes 1 cm to 10 cm in diameter; even they may be just solitary, however this patient had more than 50 nodules.
These theumatic nodules disappeared in 10-15 days after treatment along with settling of clinical features.
rheumatic nodules
when a doctor completes his training without the real hands on experience, its mistaken by many that what you are taught in medical school is totally in contrast with what you see clinically in patients. This blog aims at making medical students and docs understand how every case is exactly the same as in books. The work done by senior docs over the years is really rewarding. Infact when one finds a contrast in what is taught, he should go to books and you will find the exact descriptions verbatim, or the images as they are explained in medical books.
