A 29-year-old woman was seen in the emergency department complaining of severe pain and discoloration of the fourth and fifth fingers of both hands. She said that she had had similar symptoms before and that they always occurred in very cold weather. Initially, her fingers turned white on exposure to cold and then became deep blue in color. The color change was confined to the distal half of each finger and was accompanied by an aching pain. Placing her hands in hot water was the only treatment that relieved the pain. As the pain disappeared, she said, her fingers became red and swollen. Using your knowledge of anatomy, make the diagnosis.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Answer of A 29-year-old woman was seen in the emergency department complaining of severe pain and discoloration of the fourth and fifth fingers of both hands. She said that she had had similar symptoms before and that they always occurred in very cold weather. Initially, her fingers turned white on exposure to cold and then became deep blue in color. The color change was confined to the distal half of each finger and was accompanied by an aching pain. Placing her hands in hot water was the only treatment that relieved the pain. As the pain disappeared, she said, her fingers became red and swollen. Using your knowledge of anatomy, make the diagnosis.

A 29-Year-Old Woman Was Seen in the Emergency Department Complaining