Case Report: COVID-19 Masquerading as an Acute Surgical Abdomen

SARS-CoV-2 infection can present with various clinical features, among which gastrointestinal manifestations such as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and mild abdominal pain have been reported. Recognition of rare presentations of SARS-CoV-2 infection has increased over time. These atypical and rare pres...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene 2020-08, Vol.103 (2), p.841-843
Main Authors: Ahmed, Ashraf O E, Badawi, Mohamed, Ahmed, Khalid, Mohamed, Mouhand F H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abdomen
Abdomen, Acute - diagnostic imaging
Abdomen, Acute - virology
Adult
Betacoronavirus
Case reports
Coronavirus Infections - diagnostic imaging
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Pandemics
Pneumonia, Viral - diagnostic imaging
SARS-CoV-2
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
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Summary:SARS-CoV-2 infection can present with various clinical features, among which gastrointestinal manifestations such as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and mild abdominal pain have been reported. Recognition of rare presentations of SARS-CoV-2 infection has increased over time. These atypical and rare presentations may lead to difficulties in establishing the diagnosis in a timely manner; furthermore, they may lead to unnecessary investigations, extended hospital stays, adverse outcomes, and more strain on healthcare resources. We present three cases admitted to our hospital with a picture that mimicked an acute abdomen, necessitating surgical assessment and evaluation. All cases turned out to be SARS-CoV-2 positive and did not require surgical management. We discuss the management course, highlight the importance of abdominal symptoms in the setting of COVID-19, and discuss the implications of this association for medical practice amid the current pandemic in both resource-rich and resource-limited settings.
ISSN:0002-9637
1476-1645
DOI:10.4269/ajtmh.20-0559