The WHO declared coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) a global pandemic in early 2020. As the pandemic has continued to evolve over a period of several months, many cases of unusual presentations are now emerging, which pose a greater challenge for physicians in terms of quickly identifying COVID-19 patients based on initial signs and symptoms. In this report, we present one such unusual presentation in a patient with sudden intraperitoneal hemorrhage and spontaneous splenic rupture with COVID-19 as the likely etiology and contributing factor.The patient was a 75-year-old Caucasian woman who presented to the emergency department (ED) with complaints of severe left-sided abdominal pain for several days without any preceding trauma. A CT of the abdomen/pelvis revealed a large amount of fluid in the abdomen, which raised suspicion of bleeding. An exploratory laparotomy revealed splenic rupture with hemoperitoneum, and the patient subsequently underwent an emergent splenectomy. The patient's COVID-19 antigen test returned positive during the surgery and was subsequently confirmed with a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.COVID-19 has been found to result primarily in respiratory symptoms through its ability to invade endothelial cells via angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 affinity. It is speculated that this mechanism may cause a predisposition to micro-thromboses, which can eventually lead to manifestations such as large lymphoid organ thrombosis. Based on this case presentation and the evolving literature on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), spontaneous splenic rupture is an emergent differential diagnosis that should be considered in COVID-19 patients presenting with gastrointestinal complaints such as abdominal pain and nausea.
Emphysematous gastritis is a rare life-threatening infection caused by gas trapping within the gastric mucosal wall. It is diagnosed by radiological or operative findings most typically by CT scan of the abdomen. It is caused by gas-producing bacteria. Predisposing factors include but are not limited to alcohol intake, trauma, diabetes and surgery. Clinical presentation will typically include severe abdominal pain, abdominal distension and shock. Here we present the only reported case to our knowledge of Emphysematous gastritis with concomitant portal venous gas and pneumoperitoneum caused by Candida Glabrata.
Pancreatitis is caused by a number of different etiologies, most commonly caused by gallstone induced, alcohol, and familial hypertriglyceridemia. Other less common causes include trauma, medications, and autoimmune conditions. Drug-induced pancreatitis (DIP) is only responsible for less than 2% of all cases but is a very important etiology that has been observed with increasing frequency in the acute setting. Here we present a case of recurrent pancreatitis with no other risk factors except for the initiation of quetiapine approximately six months prior to the first episode.
An echocardiogram is the most utilized imaging modality in the evaluation of patients with intracardiac masses. Of these, left atrial myxomas are the most common intracardiac tumors in which diagnostic recognition is important for appropriate management. This paper demonstrates a case study on how a proper physical exam along with proper imaging modalities may result in avoiding misdiagnosing patients with large sliding hiatal hernias who present with the complaint of chest pain. This case reveals a food bolus within a sliding hiatal hernia masquerading as an intracardiac mass. Cardiac masses can potentially be misdiagnosed using transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). While transthoracic echocardiography is uniquely resourceful as a point-of-care modality, it can be challenging to confirm whether an identified mass is attached to the myocardium or other cardiac or intrathoracic structures. The patient exhibited symptoms compatible with a cardiac mass. Primarily, the physical examination is vital in determining whether the patient should be referred for additional diagnostic modalities to assess for a cardiac mass. Auscultation of bowel sounds on the cardiac examination is consistent with a suspected hiatal hernia.
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