A 35-year-old female presented to the emergency department following minor trauma to her upper lip. She sustained the injury whilst bending down to pick up a bag and struck her right upper lip against a metal pole. Although initially painful, there was no sign of external trauma, laceration or ecchymosis. Shortly following the trauma she noticed that the lip was markedly swollen, spreading from the right side of the lip to involve the whole of her upper lip.
Over the subsequent 2 hours the swelling increased and extended to the right cheek and submental region despite conservative management with ice and pressure. She denied any recent insect bites; consumption of food precipitants (bananas, shrimp, peas, grapes, etc); illicit drug use; herbal medications; and food or drug allergies. She is not an atopic individual and has never suffered from hives, urticaria or angioedema previously.…
