Pulmonary artery aneurysm and hemoptysis as uncommon sequelae of COVID-19 infection: a case report from Syria

Abstract

Introduction and importance: Pulmonary artery aneurysm (PAA) is a rare vascular disease, and it is known to be an extremely rare complication following infection with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Other etiologies of the disease are cancer, congenital heart anomalies, and vasculitis. While it is usually an asymptomatic disease, PAA can sometimes present with severe symptoms such as hemoptysis due to the rupture of the aneurysm. Case presentation: Here, The authors report a case of a 75-year-old female patient presented with hemoptysis. She had normal vasculature on a previous computed tomography scan when she was diagnosed with COVID-19. Four months after having COVID-19, and with a computed tomographic pulmonary angiography -assisted diagnosis, the patient was later diagnosed with PAA. Clinical discussion: PAAs have a wide nonspecific range of symptoms. The main diagnostic test is computed tomography angiography. Treatment is still controversial with no definite agreement on the management. Conclusion: COVID-19 infections can cause severe damage to blood vessels, especially in the context of other etiologies that can further damage the vasculature. This report demonstrates the importance of patient follow-up and monitoring post-COVID-19 infection in reducing further complications and mortality.