Not every person coming for consultation has a significant illness. Indeed, Angola has a striking number of worried well afflicted with simple body aches and allergy symptoms. But roughly every other individual I examine presents with a strange diagnosis or very advanced pathology.
What is this fascinoma? A 35-year-old woman with a mass growing rapidly from her cervical spine. In just three weeks it appeared, accompanied by remarkably few symptoms; just some mild pain. The mass is mobile, fluctuant, slightly tender, and transilluminates. With ultrasound, a dense homogeneous substance is detected. Laboratory signs: WBC 9,400, ESR 105. Upon aspiration, minimal yellow fluid was drained. Graham stain was negative, as was AFB.
How would you manage this fascinoma? I would be grateful for your advice. Please message me at [email protected] and thank you!