Spontaneous atraumatic mediastinal hematomas are rare. We present a case of a previously fit and well middle-aged lady who presented with acute breathlessness and an increasing neck swelling and spontaneous neck bruising. On plain chest radiograph, widening of the mediastinum was noted. The bruising was later confirmed to be secondary to mediastinal hematoma. This life-threatening diagnostic co...

Case Report A motor cycle mechanic aged 39 years sustained an injury to the inner corner of the left eye with a jet of oil from a grease-gun. In spite of considerable bruising of the lids and conjunctiva, discomfort in the eye was minimal, so he was not referred to Moorfields until 4 days after the accident. Examination.-The right eye was found to be normal and the visual acuity 6/6 unaided. In...

Paediatricians are often requested to give an opinion on the age of a non-accidental bruise. In forensic textbooks, the colour changes which a bruise undergoes with time are not based on research in children. The purpose of this study was to document the sequence of colour changes in photographs taken following accidental bruising in children. Fifty accidental bruises of known age in 23 childre...

Painful bruising syndrome (PBS) is also known as Gardner-Diamond syndrome, auto erythrocyte sensitization syndrome or psychogenic purpura. It is a rare autoimmune vasculopathy characterized by painful ecchymotic lesions which mostly recur after emotional stress [1,2]. This syndrome is frequently observed in young women with psychiatric disorders [2]. PBS occurring in a psychiatrically normal pe...

Fifty Angus x Shorthorn heifers (mean body weight, 384 kg) were used to investigate the effects of a 72 h pre-slaughter fast and cold environmental conditions (accentuated by wetting down) on meat colour, muscle ultimate pH (pHu) and gusceptibility to bruising. Cattle fasted outdoors and wet down had a higher muscle pHu than cattle fasted in a shed (5.51 vs 5.37: P < 0.05) and a darker meat col...

A seven year old boy underwent routine tonsillectomy. The operation was complicated by catastrophic haemorrhage. The screening tests?Prothrombin Time (PT) and Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT) were normal. He was treated empirically with fresh frozen plasma but bleeding continued. Bilateral carotid ligation was ultimately required to arrest haemorrhage. He was subsequently referred t...