Pulmonary Complications of COVID-19: A case report

Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J. 2022 Feb;22(1):138-143. doi: 10.18295/squmj.4.2021.070. Epub 2022 Feb 28.

Abstract

Rapid evolution of pulmonary complications associated with severe COVID-19 pneumonia often pose a management challenge to clinicians especially in the critical care setting. Serial chest imaging enable clinicians to better monitor disease progression and identify potential complications early which may decrease the mortality and morbidity associated with COVID-19. We report a 69-year-old male patient with severe COVID-19 pneumonia who presented to a tertiary referral centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 2020 with multiple pulmonary complications including lung cavitation, bronchopleural fistula, pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, subcutaneous emphysema and acute pulmonary embolism. Unfortunately, the patient died one month after admission. COVID-19 patients may develop pulmonary complications due to a combination of direct viral lung damage, hypoxaemia and high stress ventilation. Awareness of COVID-19 complications can prompt early diagnosis and timely management to reduce morbidity and mortality.

Keywords: COVID-19; Case Report; Fistula; Lung; Malaysia; Pneumomediastinum; Pneumothorax.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • COVID-19* / complications
  • Humans
  • Lung / diagnostic imaging
  • Malaysia
  • Male
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / complications
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / diagnosis
  • Thorax