Pancreatitis in a Patient with Severe Coronavirus Disease Pneumonia Treated with Veno-venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Intern Med. 2020 Nov 15;59(22):2903-2906. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.5912-20. Epub 2020 Sep 19.

Abstract

Severe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) can induce serious complications, including acute respiratory distress syndrome, septic shock, and acute kidney injury. However, few reports have associated COVID-19 with pancreatitis. We herein report the case of a 55-year-old patient who developed acute pancreatitis associated with severe COVID-19 pneumonia and was successfully treated with veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Elevated pancreatic enzymes levels and computed tomography findings led to the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis due to COVID-19. Although we found that severe COVID-19 pneumonia can lead to pancreatitis, the underlying pathophysiology remains unknown.

Keywords: COVID-19; coronavirus disease; pancreatitis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Betacoronavirus*
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / complications*
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Coronavirus Infections / therapy
  • Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation / methods*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pancreatitis / diagnosis
  • Pancreatitis / etiology*
  • Pancreatitis / therapy
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / complications*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / therapy
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods