An American woman in her 40s went to her doctor after experiencing a runny nose, headache, stiff neck and a metallic taste in her mouth. During her assessment, she told the doctor that she had recently been tested for coronavirus, prior to a hernia operation, and that the nasal discharge, headache and vomiting had commenced shortly after the surgery. She was referred to the University of Iowa Hospitals, where a mass was discovered in the middle of her right nasal cavity.
After medics drained the mass, tests showed that it contained a protein found in cerebrospinal fluid. It was later established that during her coronavirus test, the swab had been inserted so far up her nose that it had caused her brain to leak.
The test, which employs a long cotton bud to take a swab of the back of the throat and another from the inside of the nose, is the most common method used to test for antigens, the presence of which indicates the subject is currently infected with coronavirus.
The doctors' report, published in JAMA Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery stated:
"Complications associated with nasal swab testing are not well characterised,” adding that, to their knowledge, this is the first case of its kind.
The woman was admitted to hospital for endoscopic surgical repair.
D.Mirror, 3 Oct 2020.
Questions:
a) How does this story make you feel?
b) Have you ever had a bad experience at a hospital or clinic?
c) Have you ever had an unusual illness or injury?