A Sequela of Gastrointestinal Perforation Due to Small-Medium Vessel Vasculitis

Abstract

Background: Systemic vasculitis resulting in inflammation of vessel walls may progress to ischemic damage of major dependent organs, including the gastrointestinal system. Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a vasculitis that is known to present with necrotizing vasculitis in small-medium arteries, leading to life-threatening injury and surgical emergencies. We report the case of a young patient who presented with an acute abdomen and perforation of the small intestine confirmed to be caused by a small-medium vessel vasculitis with PAN as the leading diagnosis. Case Presentation: A 27-year-old African American male with a past medical history of Stage 4 CKD and uncontrolled hypertension presented to the ED complaining of generalized abdominal and bilateral flank pain. He was found to have pneumoperitoneum on abdominal imaging requiring an emergent exploratory laparotomy found to have multiple