Pulmonary thromboembolism presenting with abdominal symptoms

BACKGROUND: Abdominal pain is rarely reported as the presenting complaint of pulmonary thromboembolism. CASE REPORT: We report a case of a 42 year old white male with no known past medical problems except a left humeral fracture two weeks prior who presented to the emergency department with acute onset of right flank and lower abdominal pain. Initial evaluation including abdominal CT suggested cholecystitis. Lack of improvement with empiric antibiotics and symptomatic therapy prompted further evaluation revealing the patient to have a pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE). CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) can be effectively treated once diagnosed. Abdominal pain as a presenting complaint in PTE is rarely reported as a cause of PTE. We believe that clinicians should consider PTE in their differential of abdominal pain in patients with risk factors for VTE.