Hemopneumothorax as an Unusual and Delayed Complication of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pneumonia: A Case Report

Abstract

The increasing number of studies published on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia has improved our knowledge of the disease itself and its complications. Despite a considerable number of publications on COVID-19 pneumonia-associated pneumothorax, no article on spontaneous hemopneumothorax has been found in the English-language literature. According to published case reports, pneumothorax generally occurs in hospitalized patients during treatment, whereas cases that arise in the late period after discharge are exceptional. Herein, we present a case of spontaneous hemopneumothorax occurring as a late complication of COVID-19 pneumonia on day 17 after discharge.

The Effect of COVID-19 on the Occurrence of Spontaneous Hemopneumothorax: A Case Study

“…Ozdemir et al reported that the effects of age and diseases associated with pneumothorax in their study on intubated patients with COVID-19 were not significant (18). However, in our case and the case reported by Sayan et al, there were no underlying diseases prior to COVID-19 (12). A study in the United States also showed that most individuals with hemopneumothorax due to COVID-19 infection had a mean age of 60 years, and most of the samples had an underlying disease (19).…”

“…Chen et al reported that about 1% of individuals with COVID-19 developed a pneumothorax (8). A case report showed that most patients suffering from hemopneumothorax were elderly and had an underlying disease (12). Ozdemir et al reported that the effects of age and diseases associated with pneumothorax in their study on intubated patients with COVID-19 were not significant (18).…”

“…Pulmonary infection with COVID-19, and pre-existing lung diseases, can be a secondary cause of spontaneous pneumothorax in patients. Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax also occurs as a complication of an earlier disease, such as pneumonia, huge emphysema, cystic fibrosis, lung cancer, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lymphangiomyomatosis, or spontaneous esophageal rupture (12). Spontaneous pneumothorax is rare in patients infected with COVID-19 and has been described in several reports (5,13), and a retrospective study also showed that the incidence of hemopneumothorax is only one percent (8).…”

Case report of a spontaneous pneumothorax after the recovery from COVID‐19 pneumonia: A delayed complication

“…Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) caused by COVID‐19 has been recorded on several occasions at the time of diagnosis or during therapy. However, late‐onset spontaneous pneumothorax in individuals who recovered from COVID‐19 is rare 5 . Here, we present a case of an adult male with previously diagnosed COVID‐19 who developed spontaneous pneumothorax after seventeen days of recovery.…”

“…However, late‐onset spontaneous pneumothorax in individuals who recovered from COVID‐19 is rare. 5 Here, we present a case of an adult male with previously diagnosed COVID‐19 who developed spontaneous pneumothorax after seventeen days of recovery.…”