Cathy, a 20-year-old college sophomore, visits the student health…

Question Answered step-by-step Cathy, a 20-year-old college sophomore, visits the student health… Cathy, a 20-year-old college sophomore, visits the student health center complaining of nausea, vomiting, and extreme abdominal pain. She says the pain came on suddenly after a meal, so she is concerned about food poisoning. During the patient’s history, Cathy discloses that she is sexually active and has more than 10 sexual partners per year. She uses oral contraceptives as her primary method of birth control and does not rely on her partners to use condoms.Cathy has a past history of vulvovaginitis, cervicitis, and numerous STIs (chlamydia, syphilis, and genital herpes). Recently she has noticed a whitish vaginal discharge with a strong odor that has increased in quantity over the past week.Cathy’s vital signs are as follows: Oral temperature = 101.4°F (38.6°C) Heart rate = 102 beats/min Respiratory rate = 15 breaths/min Blood pressure = 150/86 mmHg A gynecological examination is performed. Palpation of the abdomen reveals abdominal guarding, rebound tenderness, uterine tenderness, and adnexal tenderness (tenderness in the uterine tubes and ovaries).A surgical scar is also noted, and Cathy explains that her appendix was removed when she was a child. The external genitalia appears slightly edematous but is otherwise normal. Both the vagina and the cervix are slightly inflamed, and a purulent discharge is noted. A sample of the discharge is taken for culture, and a cell sample is taken from the external os for a Pap smear.During the pelvic examination, movement of the cervix creates pain in the adnexa and a rectovaginal exam confirms the pain in the uterus and bilaterally in the adnexa. Blood, fecal, and urethral samples are obtained. Blood tests reveal leukocytosis but no HIV antibodies. The Pap smear is negative, and the cultures are positive for Chlamydia and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. A pregnancy test (hCG assay) is negative. Ultrasound imaging rules out a tubal pregnancy.Based on these test results, Cathy is diagnosed with pelvic inflammatory disease. Cathy has been prescribed a combination of antibiotics and bed rest for 10 days. During this treatment period, she is told to refrain from intercourse. She is also advised to notify her partners about her condition and to encourage them to seek treatment. In addition, Cathy is told to return for a follow-up examination after completing her medication to ensure that the infections have been controlled.Finally, Cathy is encouraged to insist on condom use to minimize her chances of contracting STIs in the future. Because of her history of numerous STIs, she is warned that she is at increased risk for infertility due to uterine tube scarring as well as uterine and cervical cancer.QuestionsWhich of Cathy’s signs and symptoms are common to both pelvic inflammatory disease and appendicitis? Why is it important to rule out appendicitis?What signs and symptoms support the diagnosis of PID?Suppose Cathy says that in spite of her “wildness” in college, she just wants to “get it all out of my system, and then settle down and have kids after I graduate.” As her physician, what would you tell her about the relevance of her present behavior to her family plans?Why are a Pap smear and an HIV test conducted?Why do Cathy’s signs and symptoms rule out cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancer? Science Biology NSG 211 Share QuestionEmailCopy link Comments (0)