Small Intestine Perforation in a 69-Year-Old Man with COVID-19

Abstract

COVID19 had caused pandemia with a high rate of mortality and morbidity. Lung involvement is the main cause of mortality, but central nervous system (CNS) and cardiac disease, and thromboemboli may participate in increasing mortality. A wide spectrum of organs involvement and complication has been reported as data gathering during the pandemia has progressed.

We report a 69-year-old man who was admitted to Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran and complained of severe abdominal pain and fever. He had been admitted 10 days earlier because of dyspnea and fever. At the first admission, based on the findings in the lung computed tomography (CT) and a positive nasopharyngeal PCR test for COVID-19, he was treated with intravenous remdesivir for 5 days and prophylactic anti-coagulant heparin during hospital admission. Two days before the new admission, he was discharged with relative recovery. During the new admission, because of the absence of hypoxemia and leukocytosis diagnostic approach to abdominal pain was planned. In abdominal imaging, evidence of bowel perforation appeared. In laparotomy, suppurative peritonitis and proximal jejunal perforation without definite etiology were seen, and bowel resection and primary anastomosis were done. After 5 days, the patient was discharged in good condition. This case is reported to inform that bowel perforation due to ischemia or vasculitis may complicate the course of COVID-19 and, in cases of gastrointestinal symptoms, should be considered.