Title: Acute paraplegia as a manifestation of COVID-19
Authors: Sithara Subair, MBBS, Anuradha H, P Paranthaman, MD
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v9i3.39
Abstract
Background: One of the many complications of COVID-19 infection is the risk of arterial and venous thromboembolism owing to cytokine storm and hypercoagulability. Here we report one such patient who presented with paraplegia and limb ischemia due to an aortic thrombus.
Case Information: 56-year old obese diabetic lady presented with sudden onset complete paraplegia with absent lower limb pulsations. CT angiogram showed aortic thrombus extending from level of renal artery origin till bilateral common iliac artery bifurcation, while CT chest showed CO-RADS 4, moderate COVID pneumonia, with a negative RTPCR on nasopharyngeal swab. While less common, several cases of aortic thrombosis as a result of COVID-19 infection have been described, attributed to the “thromboinflammatory” state seen in severe cases.
Conclusion: This report is to highlight the various differential diagnoses of acute aortic occlusion, with key reference to COVID -19 and associated hypercoagulability.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, arterial thrombosis, COVID-19 complication, acute paraplegia,aortic thrombosis.
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