The document outlines the significance and methodology of writing case reports in medicine, detailing objectives such as understanding their importance, writing techniques, and common pitfalls. It emphasizes that case reports can generate new hypotheses, enhance medical education, and improve analytical skills. Additionally, it provides a structured guide for writing and publishing case reports, including necessary components and potential barriers authors may face.

1. Celestin Bilong M.J, medical student
Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
University of Yaounde I
Cameroon

2. OBJECTIVES
1. State the importance of case reports
2. Know when and why to write a case report
3. Know how to write a case report
4. Identify common pitfalls associated with case report
writing
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3. PLAN
I. INTRODUCTION
II. HOW TO WRITE A CASE REPORT
III. PUBLISHING A CASE REPORT
IV. COMMON BARRIERS AND PITFALLS
V. CASE REPORT EXAMPLE
VI. CONCLUSION
VII. REFERENCES
03

4. Definition, When to write and why?
I. INTRODUCTION
04

5. I.1 DEFINITION
▪ An account of an individual clinical case usually with an unexpected
presentation, course or outcome.
▪ Detailed outline of symptoms, clinical course, diagnosis, treatment
decisions and outcome + review of previously reported cases (review
of literature)
▪ Case report vs case series
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6. I. 2 WHEN TO WRITE 06
Bavdekar SB, Save S. Writing Case Reports: Contributing to Practice and Research, J Apr 2015

7. I.3 WHY WE SHOULD WRITE
▪ Generation of new hypotheses (science is rooted in observations)
▪ Improve medical education
▪ Offer early signals of benefits, harms and value
▪ Authors learn to perform a focused literature research, explain
history, demonstrate analytical skills,…become better at writing
and research.
07

8. II. HOW TO WRITE
A CASE REPORT
Preliminaries, Order vs Sequence, Components proper
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9. II.1 PRELIMINARIES
▪ Discuss with medical team
▪ Background research
▪ Extensive literature search needed
▪ Avoid ‘me too’ cases
▪ Getting permission and consent
▪ Information gathering
▪ Documentation of clinical presentation on admission and along the disease
course
▪ Clear results from diagnostic tests
▪ Detailed overview of treatment given and response
▪ Formulate up to 3 bullet point messages on what you want to communicate
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10. II.2 ORDER VS SEQUENCE
▪ Title
▪ Abstract
▪ Introduction
▪ Case description
▪ Discussion
▪ References
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▪ WHAT: Working title, case
description
▪ WHY: Introduction, Discussion,
Conclusion
▪ Abstract, key words, references,
acknowledgement, informed
consent
Order Writing Sequence

11. II.3 COMPONENTS PROPER (1/9) 11
▪ Title
▪ The words ‘case report’ (or ‘case study’) should appear in the title
along with phenomenon of greatest interest (eg, symptom, diagnosis,
test, intervention)
▪ Concise, informative, relevant, attractive

12. II.3 COMPONENTS PROPER (2/9) 12
▪ Abstract
▪ Introduction/Background: what is known and what does this case
add?
▪ Case description: main symptoms, main diagnoses and interventions
and main outcomes
▪ Conclusion: Take home message
▪ Usual characteristics (word limit, structured/unstructured)

13. II.3 COMPONENTS PROPER (3/9) 13
▪ Introduction
▪ Background information: describe the context (rarity, disease
incidence, mortality, morbidity)
▪ Refer to cases reported earlier
▪ Define terminologies used
▪ Explain the purpose of reporting the case
▪ DON’T provide an extensive overview of each aspect of the disease
the patient has, leave that for the case description
▪ Usual characteristics (brief, clear, catchy)

14. II.3 COMPONENTS PROPER (4/9) 14
▪ Case description/case presentation
▪ Patient information
▪ Ethics and reporting guidelines
▪ Demographic information (e.g age, gender, ethnicity, occupation)
▪ Main symptoms (chief complaints)
▪ Relevant past history
▪ Clinical findings
▪ Relevant PE findings
▪ Diagnostic assessment
▪ Dx methods (PE, lab testing, imaging, questionnaires)
▪ Dx challenges (financial, language/cultural)
▪ Dx reasoning including other Dx considered
▪ Prognostic charactersitics (e.g staging when applicable)
01
02
03
04
05

15. II.3 COMPONENTS PROPER (5/9) 15
▪ Case description/case presentation
▪ Initial therapeutic intervention and evolution
▪ Type of intervention (pharmacological, surgical, preventive, self care)
▪ Evolution under the intervention
▪ Changes in intervention with rationale
▪ Follow-up and outcomes
▪ Summarise the clinical course of all follow up visits/remarkable findings
▪ Important follow up results (positive or negative)
▪ Intervention adherence and tolerability (and how it was assessed)
▪ Adverse and unanticipated events

16. II.3 COMPONENTS PROPER (6/9) 16
▪ Discussion
▪ Aim: evaluate the case for accuracy, validity and uniqueness
▪ Strengths and limitations in the management of the case
▪ Relevant medical literature
▪ Rationale for conclusions (including assessment of cause and
effect)
▪ Patient perspective
▪ « Take home messages » for this case report
▪ Use figures and tables where needed.

17. II.3 COMPONENTS PROPER (7/9) 17
▪ References
▪ Less than15 references are adequate (consult author’s guidelines)
▪ References should be drawn from peer review journals and credible
online sources
▪ Cite as per the style and methods required by the journal

18. II.3 COMPONENTS PROPER (8/9)
NB: Informed consent
▪ Inform patient that the case will be published
▪ Discuss potential images, especially if they show the patient
▪ Ask for written consent
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19. II.3 COMPONENTS PROPER (9/9)
▪ Special circumstances
▪ Patient deceased (relatives), pediatric (parents)
▪ Patient unavailable
▪ Institutional general consent required from all patients (upon admission to
hospital)
▪ Publish without informed consent (exceptions)
▪ Important public health message
▪ Impossible to obtain informed consent despite all efforts
▪ Benefit of publication outweighs potential harm
19
Wager E, Kleinert S; Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Cooperation between
research institutions and journals on research integrity cases, 2012

20. 20

21. Journal to select, some lists
III. PUBLISHING A
CASE REPORT
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22. III. PUBLISHING A CASE REPORT (1/2)
Which journal to select?
▪ Clinical medicine journals
▪ Case report journals
22
High reputation, Impact Factor
Case Reports unwanted, high chances of rejection
Often relatively long review processes
Specialized in publishing case reports, no default rejection
Often faster review process
No impact factor, reduced visibility of individual report
*Open access

23. III. PUBLISHING A CASE REPORT (2/2)
Some lists
www.care-statement.org/s/CaseReports-Journals-2017.pdf
https://www.sites.google.com/site/casereportpubjournals/
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24. Barriers, Pitfalls
IV. COMMON
BARRIERS AND
PITFALLS
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25. IV. COMMON BARRIERS AND PITFALLS (1/2)
▪ Inexperience
▪ Read reports in literature, seek help from mentors and experienced colleagues
▪ Insufficient Documentation
▪ Ensure rigorous documentation availability
▪ Inappopriate format
▪ Read guide/instructions to authors (submitology)
▪ Ineffective illustrations
▪ If necessary, get professional help and submit illustrations of standard quality
and clarity
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26. IV. COMMON BARRIERS AND PITFALLS (2/2)
▪ Poor writing
▪ Consult published sources and request experienced colleagues to offer
comments and critique before the draft is finalized
▪ Authorship
▪ Agree before writing of the case report begins, should be restricted to
those who have made substantial intellectual contributions to the
manuscript
▪ Lack of motivation
26

27. ntSDH in a 3rd trimester gravid patient: a
case report
V. EXAMPLE
27

28. V. CASE REPORT EXAMPLE 28

29. VI. CONCLUSION
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30. VI. CONCLUSION 30
▪ Despite low level of evidence, case reports are pivotal to medical
progress
▪ Great beginning in a research carrier
▪ Always read instructions to authors in every journal you intend to
publish a case report
▪ Always go through the CARE guidelines checklist

31. VII. REFERENCES (1/2)
1. Gagnier JJ, Kienle G, Altman DG, Moher D, Sox H, Riley D, et al. The CARE
guidelines: consensus-based clinical case reporting guideline development. Case
Rep. 2013 Oct 23;2013(oct23 :bcr2013201554–bcr2013201554.
2. Ortega-Loubon C, Culquichicón C, Correa R. The Importance of Writing and
Publishing Case Reports During Medical Training. Cureus [Internet]. 2017 Dec 19
[cited 2021 Jan 16]; Available from: https://www.cureus.com/articles/9429-the-
importance-of-writing-and-publishing-case-reports-during-medical-training
3. Bavdekar SB, Save S. Writing Case Reports: Contributing to Practice and
Research. J Assoc Physicians India. 2015 Apr;63(4):44-8. PMID: 26591170.
4. Kenzaka T, Kamada M. Barriers to preparation of case reports among Japanese
general practitioners. Saudi J Med Med Sci. 2020;8(3):239.
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32. VII. REFERENCES (2/2)
5. Tetinou F, Kanmounye US, Jibia A, Ntsama PM, Chewa G, Nlend AEN. Non-
traumatic subdural hematoma in a third-trimester gravid patient: A case report.
Interdiscip Neurosurg. 2021 Mar;23:100967.
6. Mbanga CM, Ombaku KS, Fai KN, Agbor VN. Small bowel obstruction
complicating an Ascaris lumbricoides infestation in a 4-year-old male: a case
report. J Med Case Reports. 2019 Dec;13(1):155.
7. https://researcheracademy.elsevier.com/writing-research/technical-writing-
skills/write-case-reports
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