Carolinas Research Day 2021

Clinical Case-Based Studies

01 Pneumatosis Intestinalis in the Setting of Enteritis and Microvascular Coagulopathy as the Only Presenting Symptom in a Covid-19 Patient Subsequently Requiring Surgical Intervention

Ashlyn McConnell, OMSIII, Matthew P. Forte, MD

Regional Medical Center, Orangeburg, SC

Abstract: A 59 year old female with significant medical history including hypertension, cholecystectomy and hysterectomy was admitted for acute abdominal pain without other symptoms. CT confirmed presence of pneumatosis intestinalis with suspicion of bowel ischemia. Prompt surgical intervention was required due to the unstable nature of her condition. At time of operation, she developed a fever warranting clinical suspicion for COVID-19; subsequent testing revealed positivity for SARS- CoV-2. This article discusses the novel association of pneumatosis intestinalis and COVID-19, and investigates the various factors, including microvascular coagulopathy, that could play a role in this patient’s atypical enteric disease presentation.

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