HOW TO WRITE A

CASE REPORT
NEUROSURGERY RESEARCH CLUB

Hue, 30th March, 2024

WHAT
01
WHAT IS A CASE REPORT?
A case report is an academic article that presents a topic through the lens of a
single patient case or clinical encounter.
It can also be said as a detailed report of the symptoms, signs, diagnosis, treatment,
and follow-up of an individual patient.
Technically, a case report is a scientific study with the smallest possible sample
size, n = 1.
WHEN
02
WHEN TO WRITE A CASE
REPORT?
Case reports examine clinical scenarios, and illustrate a diagnostic or therapeutic
problem experienced by patient. Case reports often focus on rare diseases, unusual
clinical presentations, or uncommon complications or events.
It can be from any area of medicine, nursing, dentistry, and veterinary science.
WHERE
03
 LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
Meta-analyses
& Systematic
reviews
Randomized
controlled trials
Higher (RCTs) Lower
Cohort studies

Quality of Risk of bias

Case – control studies
evidence

Cross sectional studies

Case reports

Expert opinion/ Background information

HOW
04
KEY PARTS
OF A CASE
REPORT
 ABSTRACT

- Summarizes the information within the entire case report, includes approximately 100-250
words
- The abstract should be structured into Background, an introduction, Case presentation, brief
details of patients, and a brief conclusion.
- Abstracts may be written as a single paragraph or may be broken into sub-sections.
- Save the abstract for last.
 INTRODUCTION
- The introduction should include a brief overview of the case that helps the reader understand
clearly.
- The case report should involve new or unusual or previously unknown health issues.
 CASE PRESENTATION

Patient’s medical
record

Physical
History Diagnostics Treatment Outcome
exam
CASE PRESENTATION
 DISCUSSION
The most important part based on the author’s literature review
- Widen the importance of the case
- Linking the case with the current literature:
+ Compare and contrast (similarities and differences in the key points between your case
and what was already published).
+ Importance, uniqueness, and what will add to the literature?
+ The limitations in your case
- Giving a result, explanation, or clinical implications, should be very cautious.
- In this section you need references
 DISCUSSION
Describe the patient’ situation

Clinical
Epidemiology Pathophysiology
presentation

Prognosis
Diagnosis Treatment
Prevention
 CONCLUSION
- This section should deliver any final messages, recommendations, or parting
wisdom that the readers should know about the case and the topic that it represents.
- Sometimes it is not necessary or just summarizes in one sentence the main
message or lesson, and suggests new ideas for future research.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT & REFERENCES

Highlight assistance with the preparation, and references that actually used to
support the case study.
 THINGS TO REMEMBER
Abstract: Summarize, Keywords
Introduction: Background, What’s new?
Case presentation: Patient’s medical record
Discussion: Compare and contrast, Result and explanation
Conclusion: Lesson learned
Acknowledgment & References

WHAT WHEN WHERE HOW

Chang HM, Chen TW, Hsieh CB, Chen CJ, Yu JC, Liu YC, Shen KL, Chan DC. Intrauterine contraceptive device appendicitis: a case report. World
Gastroenterol. 2005 Sep 14;11(34):5414-5. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i34.5414. PMID: 16149161; PMCID: PMC4622824.
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