This case demonstrates the importance of considering septic pulmonary embolism (SPE) on the differential for chest pain in the pediatric population, especially in patients with a history of skin and soft tissue infection. The adolescent patient in this report, with a history of axillary hidradenitis suppurativa complicated by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) superinfection and recent completion of a 3-month course of doxycycline, presented with isolated focal chest pain in the absence of other infectious or respiratory signs or symptoms. Initial pulmonary imaging revealed multiple bilateral wedge-shaped nodules. Three specialty teams were consulted in the patient's evaluation, resulting in biopsy of a suspicious lesion that confirmed the diagnosis of MRSA SPE. Following a course of targeted antibiotic therapy, the patient's chest pain resolved and imaging findings improved. Insights gleaned from the workup of this patient are useful in formulating a framework for recognition of SPE in children presenting with chest pain, and also highlight the importance of considering insidious SPE presentation in the setting of antibiotic pretreatment.
Keywords: CRP, C-reactive protein; CT-PA, computed tomography-pulmonary angiography; Chest pain; DVT, deep vein thrombosis; ED, emergency department; HS, hidradenitis suppurativa; MRSA, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus; Pediatric radiology; SPE, septic pulmonary embolism; Septic pulmonary embolism.
© 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of University of Washington.