Acute pancreatitis associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. A case report

Abstract

The new SARS-CoV-2 virus and its disease COVID-19 have posed a challenge to clinicians, affecting different organs and systems. Although the severity of the infection is mainly determined by the occurrence of severe pneumonia and acute respiratory distress, other involvement in different organs and systems has been described, such as gastrointestinal, pancreatic and biliary symptomatology. Pancreatic involvement is poorly described, with few reports in the literature worldwide, being currently registered in more than 20 countries. In this paper, a case of acute pancreatitis is presented, highlighting the new possibility of association to COVID-19. The patient is 17 years old, female, with a history of a late puerperium, without having had contact with people confirmed or suspected of having COVID-19, or travel abroad. In view of the patient's torpid evolution, a computed axial tomography of the abdomen and pelvis was performed, where the following findings were reported: peri pancreatic fluid, distended gallbladder with peri vesicular fluid, free fluid in the cul-de-sac and interstitium. On performing an exploratory laparotomy, pancreatic necrosis with liquefaction in all its extension with steato necrosis in the greater omentum was evidenced. After treatment, the patient evolved afebrile, with improved oral tolerance, without abdominal pain, with mild respiratory symptoms, without requiring oxygen at any time, completing a total of 21 days of empirical antibiotic therapy.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, Acute Pancreatitis.