A Case of Spontaneous Pneumothorax 21 Days After Diagnosis of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pneumonia
Diagnostic / therapeutic accidents
Ashraf Abushahin, John Degliuomini, Wilbert S. Aronow, Thomas Newman
Department of Internal Medicine, New York Medical College (Metropolitan Hospital), New York City, NY, USA
Am J Case Rep 2020; 21:e925787
DOI: 10.12659/AJCR.925787
Available online: 2020-08-05
Published: 2020-08-15
BACKGROUND:
At the end of 2019, coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was recognized as the cause of a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, a city in China. There are numerous complications associated with COVID-19 infection, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome, renal failure, circulatory shock, and multi-organ failure. Spontaneous pneumothorax following COVID-19 pneumonia is an extremely rare complication.
CASE REPORT:
We report the case of a 49-year-old man with a past medical history of type 2 diabetes mellitus with an initial presentation of cough, shortness of breath, and fever. He was diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia and rapidly deteriorated on the day of admission, requiring initiation of mechanical ventilation. The patient recovered clinically and was discharged home. He returned 21 days after discharge with a spontaneous pneumothorax.
CONCLUSIONS:
Spontaneous pneumothorax is a rare complication after apparent recovery from COVID-19 pneumonia. It is imperative that treating physicians are aware of this complication in order to recognize it early and treat it promptly.
Keywords: Pneumothorax, SARS Virus, Pandemics
