Complete splenic infarction in association with COVID-19

COVID-19 predominantly affects the respiratory system. As a novel disease, understanding of its management and complications continues to grow. Herein, we present a case of almost complete splenic infarction in a patient with COVID-19 pneumonia. This case highlights the need to maintain diagnostic vigilance whilst investigating secondary complications of COVID-19. It is also important to stress the high incidence of thromboembolic complications in patients with COVID-19, which may occur anywhere in the vasculature.

Buttock wounds: beware what lies beneath

A 25-year-old man presented to a major trauma centre with multiple stab wounds, most significantly to the right buttock. Triple-phase CT revealed no acute bleeding and his wounds were closed. In the month following injury, he re-presented seven times to the emergency department (ED) complaining of bleeding and wound breakdown. After his seventh ED attendance, he was examined under general anaesthesia. Intraoperatively, profuse arterial bleeding was encountered and the local major haemorrhage protocol was activated. The on-call consultant vascular surgeon attended and definitive control was achieved. A large haematoma had acted to tamponade ongoing arterial bleeding and an underlying pseudoaneurysm: a finding not reported, but present, on the initial CT angiogram. Following 24 hours in the intensive care unit, he was transferred to the surgical ward and discharged 4 days later. Regular review in the outpatient department over the following 9 weeks monitored successful wound healing.