The EM Educator Series: Endometritis

Author: Alex Koyfman, MD (@EMHighAK) // Reviewed by: Brit Long, MD (@long_brit) and Manpreet Singh, MD (@MprizzleER)

Welcome back to the EM Educator Series. These posts provide brief mini-cases followed by key questions to consider while working. The featured questions provide important learning points for those working with you, as well as vital items to consider in the evaluation and management of the specific condition discussed.

This week has another downloadable PDF document with questions, links and answers you can share with learners as educators in #MedEd. Please message us over Twitter and let us know if you have any feedback on ways to improve this for you. Enjoy!

Case 1:

A 25-year-old female presents 4 days after vaginal delivery saying she has felt unwell. When asked further, she has experienced nausea, myalgias, and fever. On abdominal examination, she has significant periumbilical and suprapubic tenderness.

Case 2:

A 33-year-old female presents 2 days after C-section with fever.  She is tachycardic, tachypneic, hypotensive, and febrile.

Considerations:

• What are the causes of postpartum fever?
• What is the approach to identifying the source of postpartum fever?
• What are the risk factors for endometritis?
• How do patients with endometritis present?
• What is the ED evaluation?
• What is the ED management?

Suggested Resources:

• Articles
  • emDocs
  • Radiopaedia
  • WikEM
• Journal Articles
  • EM Clinics North America
  • Stat Pearls