Intraoperative coagulopathy during cesarean section as an unsuspected initial presentation of COVID-19: a case report

BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2020 Aug 24;20(1):481. doi: 10.1186/s12884-020-03140-2.

Abstract

Background: The world's understanding of COVID-19 continues to evolve as the scientific community discovers unique presentations of this disease. This case report depicts an unexpected intraoperative coagulopathy during a cesarean section in an otherwise asymptomatic patient who was later found to have COVID-19. This case suggests that there may be a higher risk for intrapartum bleeding in the pregnant, largely asymptomatic COVID-positive patient with more abnormal COVID laboratory values.

Case: The case patient displayed D-Dimer elevations beyond what is typically observed among this hospital's COVID-positive peripartum population and displayed significantly more oozing than expected intraoperatively, despite normal prothrombin time, international normalized ratio, fibrinogen, and platelets.

Conclusion: There is little published evidence on the association between D-Dimer and coagulopathy among the pregnant population infected with SARS-CoV-2. This case report contributes to the growing body of evidence on the effects of COVID-19 in pregnancy. A clinical picture concerning for intraoperative coagulopathy may be associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection during cesarean sections, and abnormal COVID laboratory tests, particularly D-Dimer, may help identify the patients in which this presentation occurs.

Keywords: COVID-19; D-Dimer; Sars-CoV-2; cesarean section; coagulopathy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antifibrinolytic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Betacoronavirus
  • Blood Coagulation Disorders / blood*
  • Blood Coagulation Disorders / drug therapy
  • Blood Coagulation Disorders / metabolism
  • Blood Loss, Surgical*
  • Breech Presentation / surgery*
  • C-Reactive Protein / metabolism
  • COVID-19
  • Cautery
  • Cesarean Section*
  • Coronavirus Infections / blood*
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis
  • Coronavirus Infections / metabolism
  • Female
  • Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / metabolism
  • Fibrinogen / metabolism
  • Hemostasis, Surgical
  • Humans
  • International Normalized Ratio
  • Methylergonovine / therapeutic use
  • Oligohydramnios
  • Oxytocics / therapeutic use
  • Oxytocin / therapeutic use
  • Pandemics
  • Platelet Count
  • Pneumonia, Viral / blood*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnosis
  • Pneumonia, Viral / metabolism
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / blood*
  • Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / drug therapy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / metabolism
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / blood*
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / diagnosis
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / metabolism
  • Prothrombin Time
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Tranexamic Acid / therapeutic use
  • Uterine Inertia / drug therapy

Substances

  • Antifibrinolytic Agents
  • Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products
  • Oxytocics
  • fibrin fragment D
  • Oxytocin
  • Tranexamic Acid
  • Fibrinogen
  • C-Reactive Protein
  • Methylergonovine