A Young Female Case of Polyarteritis Nodosa Presenting With Multisystem Involvement and Acute Abdomen: A Case Report

Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a medium vessel vasculitis that affects multiple organ systems except the lungs. It is transmural segmental necrotizing inflammation associated with fibrinoid necrosis. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is strongly associated with PAN. It commonly affects medium-sized muscular arteries and typically involves renal, coronary, and mesenteric vessels, but not pulmonary arteries. Vascular lesions occur mostly at bifurcations in medium-sized muscular arteries. A case of polyarteritis nodosa was reported in a 21-year-old female who presented with blackish discoloration of feet, loss of appetite, loss of weight, colicky pain, and distension of the abdomen. Leukocytoclastic vasculitis was confirmed by skin biopsy; ascites was detected on computed tomography and chest and abdomen (erect) radiograph; and explorative laparotomy was done, but she died on the second postoperative day due to septicemic shock and acute renal and respiratory failure.