Perforation of the descending colon diverticulum in a patient following recovery from severe COVID-19 pneumonia: a case report

• Published in: Journal of surgical case reports Vol. 2021; no. 2; p. rjab013
• Main Authors: Hamaoka, Michinori, Shiozaki, Shohei, Nakahara, Hideki, Itamoto, Toshiyuki
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: 01.02.2021
• ISSN: 2042-8812; 2042-8812
• DOI: 10.1093/jscr/rjab013

The outcome of surgery in patients who have recovered from severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is unknown. Herein, we present a case of an emergency operation for acute pan-peritonitis due to perforation of the descending colon diverticulum in a patient who recovered from severe COVID-19 pneumonia. A 59-year-old man, who had recovered from severe COVID-19 pneumonia ~6 months previously, developed acute pan-peritonitis due to perforation of a diverticulum in the descending colon. Emergency surgery was performed, and the perforation was sutured and closed. He was discharged from the hospital 13 days postoperatively. There was no relapse of COVID-19 during the perioperative period of peritonitis surgery. General perioperative management may, therefore, be sufficient in patients who have recovered from COVID-19.