Posters
Academic Level (Author 1)
Resident
Discipline/Specialty (Author 1)
Internal Medicine
Academic Level (Author 2)
Resident
Discipline/Specialty (Author 2)
Internal Medicine
Academic Level (Author 3)
Faculty
Discipline Track
Patient Care
Abstract
Background: Severe cases of COVID-19 are often associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome resulting in hypoxic respiratory failure; however, it is crucial to consider other differential diagnoses in patient’s presenting with worsening hypoxia, including severe pneumothorax given the barotrauma associated in some patients.
Case presentation: Our team presents a case of a 62-year-old man with a history of kidney transplant on immunosuppressive therapy, hypertension, stroke with residual contracted right upper extremity who presented with severe COVID-19 pneumonia. The patient was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where he was intubated and sedated, ventilator settings were tuned according to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) ventilator management strategies. The clinical course was complicated by an episode of severe hypotension and hypoxia with diminished breathing sounds on bilateral chest auscultation. spontaneous bilateral tension pneumothorax. The ensuing hemodynamic collapse was refractory to the use of vasopressors, which resulted in sudden cardiac arrest. Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was ultimately achieved but only after several rounds of advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS) as well as immediate bilateral chest tube placement.
Conclusion: Bilateral Spontaneous Pneumothorax (BSPT) is an exceedingly rare condition in general clinical and intensive care settings. Physicians should be aware of this complication to treat the patients promptly to prevent cardiopulmonary arrest and other fatal consequences, which could change the clinical outcome if detected and managed appropriately at an earlier stage.
Presentation Type
Poster
Recommended Citation
Alshaikhli, Alfarooq; Cabral-Amador, Francisco J.; Caporusso, Joseph; and Sanchez, Eric, "Severe COVID-19 Infection Complicated With Bilateral Pneumothorax and Cardiac Arrest" (2024). Research Colloquium. 36.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/colloquium/2023/posters/36
Included in
Severe COVID-19 Infection Complicated With Bilateral Pneumothorax and Cardiac Arrest
Background: Severe cases of COVID-19 are often associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome resulting in hypoxic respiratory failure; however, it is crucial to consider other differential diagnoses in patient’s presenting with worsening hypoxia, including severe pneumothorax given the barotrauma associated in some patients.
Case presentation: Our team presents a case of a 62-year-old man with a history of kidney transplant on immunosuppressive therapy, hypertension, stroke with residual contracted right upper extremity who presented with severe COVID-19 pneumonia. The patient was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where he was intubated and sedated, ventilator settings were tuned according to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) ventilator management strategies. The clinical course was complicated by an episode of severe hypotension and hypoxia with diminished breathing sounds on bilateral chest auscultation. spontaneous bilateral tension pneumothorax. The ensuing hemodynamic collapse was refractory to the use of vasopressors, which resulted in sudden cardiac arrest. Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was ultimately achieved but only after several rounds of advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS) as well as immediate bilateral chest tube placement.
Conclusion: Bilateral Spontaneous Pneumothorax (BSPT) is an exceedingly rare condition in general clinical and intensive care settings. Physicians should be aware of this complication to treat the patients promptly to prevent cardiopulmonary arrest and other fatal consequences, which could change the clinical outcome if detected and managed appropriately at an earlier stage.