Cavitary lung lesions and pneumothorax in a healthy patient with active coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) viral pneumonia
Amin Afrazi, Sylvana García-Rodríguez, James D. Maloney, Clinton T. Morgan
Abstract
Severe respiratory sequelae drive morbidity-associated with coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) disease. We report a case of COVID-19 pneumonia complicated by cavitary lesions and pneumothorax in a young healthy male. Pneumothorax management with catheter thoracostomy and rapid resolution of the cavitary lesions are described. An extensive work-up for other causes a cavitation was negative and the temporal correlation of the cavities with COVID-19 infection plus their rapid resolution suggest a direct relationship. We propose a mechanism for cavitation secondary to microangiopathy, a cause of cavitation in the vasculitides and a known feature of COVID-19.
Topics & Concepts
MedicineCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)PneumoniaSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)2019-20 coronavirus outbreakPneumothoraxCoronavirusLungViral pneumoniaVirologyBetacoronavirusPandemicPathologyRadiologyInternal medicineInfectious disease (medical specialty)OutbreakDiseasePneumothorax, Barotrauma, EmphysemaPleural and Pulmonary DiseasesPericarditis and Cardiac Tamponade