An adolescent client reports to the nurse of walking with a limp due to pain localized in the right knee which worsens at night but denies any recent injury or trauma. The nurse observes swelling and tenderness in the right lower thigh, and imaging results reveal radial ossification in the soft tissues.
Which condition should the nurse consider as the probable cause of the findings?
Osteosarcoma
Growing pains
Rhabdomyolysis
Hemosiderosis
The Correct Answer is A
The adolescent client's symptoms of localized pain, swelling, and tenderness, particularly at night, are suggestive of a malignancy such as osteosarcoma, which is the most common primary bone tumor in children and adolescents.
Radial ossification in the soft tissues is a characteristic finding in osteosarcoma and is indicative of bone production by malignant cells. Other imaging modalities, such as X-rays, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), may also reveal osteolytic or osteoblastic lesions in the bone.
Growing pains are a common, benign condition that occur in children and do not typically present with the
symptoms described in the case scenario.
Rhabdomyolysis is a medical emergency that involves the breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue and release of muscle fiber contents into the bloodstream. It can present with muscle pain, swelling, and tenderness, but typically occurs as a result of injury, infection, or drug toxicity.
Hemosiderosis is a rare condition characterized by the accumulation of iron in various tissues, including the liver, spleen, and bone marrow. It may present with symptoms such as fatigue, joint pain, and abdominal pain, but is not typically associated with the symptoms and imaging findings described in the case scenario.
Therefore, the nurse should consider osteosarcoma as the probable cause of the adolescent client's symptoms and imaging findings, and should collaborate with the healthcare team to develop a plan of care for diagnosis and treatment.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
The adolescent's symptoms suggest that their blood glucose levels may be very high. Obtaining a point-of- care glucose reading is the first step in assessing the adolescent's current blood glucose levels and determining the appropriate course of action.
Reviewing prior insulin prescriptions, assessing urine for ketones, and checking blood pressure are also important interventions but should occur after the blood glucose level has been determined.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
The nurse should report a positive rapid strep test of the oropharynx to the healthcare provider. Acute glomerulonephritis is often caused by a recent streptococcal infection, and a positive rapid strep test would confirm this as the underlying cause
A blood pressure of 88/50 mmHg is within the normal range for a child and would not need to be reported.
A maculopapular rash over the trunk of the body is not typically associated with acute glomerulonephritis and would not need to be reported.
Weight loss may occur with acute glomerulonephritis due to decreased appetite, but it is not an urgent finding that needs to be reported immediately.
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