Acute Complications of COVID-19 With Lasting Damages: A Case of Severe Long-Term Sequelae in a Middle-Aged Female Post COVID-19

Following coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), many patients experience acute complications and long-term sequelae. Acute complications include respiratory failure, myocardial injury, and neurological complications. Respiratory and thromboembolic complications prove to be acute changes that cause detrimental long-term outcomes. A continued exploration of the COVID-19 hospital course will allow for effective management and treatment of the virus. We report the case of a 48-year-old Hispanic woman who experienced a pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis in all four extremities, and a brain embolus following a COVID-19 infection in 2021. Despite hospital care and prompt treatment, she developed long-term sequelae, specifically post-intubation tracheal stenosis. The critical factor promoting this inflammatory state is the overproduction of cytokines in what is coined a “cytokine storm.” The lasting complications have multiple facets that need to be explored beyond the virus itself. Treatment modalities have their own risks and side effects. Comparing effective and ineffective treatment outcomes for this patient may lead to improvements in COVID-19 management. For this reason, exploring the treatment and complications in the acute setting is necessary for the prevention of the long-term sequelae accompanying cases of COVID-19. While literature exists detailing the unique thrombotic and respiratory complications that can present as a result of COVID-19 coagulopathies, this field is continuously evolving and warrants further research.