Acute abdomen and angioedema:
a classic presentation
Mohamad Hachem, Thomas Rix and Salem Shubber
Corresponding address:
Mohamad Hachem, MD,
Flat 6,
55 Jevington Gardens,
Eastbourne,
BN21 4EH, UK.
E-mail: drhashem01@hotmail.com
Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is an infrequent disorder characterised by abnormalities in the
levels and/or function of complement C1 esterase inhibitor (C1 INH). Clinical manifestations of
HAE are due to recurrent episodic swelling of the subcutaneous or submucosal tissue. When
swelling involves the gastrointestinal mucosa, patients may present with nausea, vomiting,
diarrhoea, and severe abdominal pain. However, HAE is almost never suspected as a potential
cause of acute abdomen. We describe a typical case of hereditary C1 esterase inhibitor deficiency
in a 37-year-old woman presenting with recurrent acute abdomen and who had undergone
negative surgical interventions before diagnosis was eventually established. Both the diagnostic
and therapeutic approach to this rare condition is discussed in this report.
Keywords
Angioedema; C1 esterase inhibitor; abdominal pain; autosomal dominant; bradykinin; danazol.
Click
here for printer-optimised version
