Acute mesenteric haematoma and hematoperitoneum following a coughing episode induced by COVID-19

Acute mesenteric haematoma (AMH) is a rare condition and established causes include blunt trauma, aneurysmal rupture, acute pancreatitis and anticoagulant use. A male patient in his 50s presented with abdominal pain and loss of consciousness that was immediately preceded by a prolonged coughing episode. A computed tomography (CT) abdomen-pelvis revealed two acute mesenteric haematomas and haematoperitoneum and admission swabs diagnosed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The patient had no other acute clinical issues and was not taking anticoagulants. The haematomas were managed conservatively and a follow up computed tomography (CT) 4 weeks post-discharge revealed significant improvement. No clear vessel was identified as the source of the bleed in any of the investigations. This case represents a rare instance of AMH and haematoperitoneum with no established cause. We theorize that the combination of the patient’s systemic response to COVID-19 and raised intra-abdominal pressure caused by coughing contributed to the bleeding.