So you have a case, now what? First, gather your information in a clear, concise manner. A worksheet is provided here for reference. Once the information is gathered, it needs to be put together. The components of a case report can vary, again depending on whom or where you are writing for and how much time and energy you have. At the very least, a case report should contain 1) an introduction, 2) a presentation of the case, and 3) a discussion. If you are writing for the purpose of sharing academic knowledge, then it should include 1) an abstract, 2) an introduction with literature support, 3) an in-depth analysis of the case, 4) the discussion with literature documentation, and 5) a conclusion with recommendations or hypothesis generating ideas. A final and important point is that the key to writing a good case report is to be clear about the “single message” that you want to deliver. What is the priority message that you want the reader to take away? Clear description of this and development of why this is so will provide a meaningful addition to the literature and offer real benefit to your colleagues.

Components of a case report in detail

1. The abstract provides a concise synopsis of your case report to allow potential readers a quick glimpse into the content of your article. Depending on the journal, the length of an abstract may be 100 to 250 words.

2. The introduction provides the background to why the case may be of interest to the reader. Literature support on theoretical or research basis of the case may be presented here.

3. The case presentation gives the detailed description of the case (i.e. presenting symptoms, treatments and outcomes) and analysis of the findings. However, this does not mean you should go on ad nauseam on the details of the case. The goal is to provide essential information and noteworthy features that may be of interest to your reader.

4. The discussion is the most important part of the case report. This is where the significance of the case is discussed; what the outcomes are, what features are unique and interesting to the reader, and why this case is important. Supporting literature that is relevant to the case should be included here as well as ideas for generating hypotheses for future research.

5. The conclusion gives a brief summary to what you have learned from the case, any implications to clinical care and recommendations that other clinicians could learn from.

Other Considerations

A case report is the medical history of a person and the clinical/therapeutic approach used to treat the person and achieve the outcome. The bottom line is that it is about a person. Thus, as an author, it is proper etiquette for you to get consent from your patient. In fact, obtaining consent from the patient is not only good medical practice, but also mandatory for some journals. In the consent form, you can inform your patient about your intentions, the types of information being shared, and any known or potential risks/ benefits. It is your responsibility to ensure your patient’s confidentiality and anonymity. For example, if photographs are used, anonymity may not be guaranteed. In such a situation, the patient needs to be informed.