ABSTRACT
We describe the case of a previously healthy 12-year-old boy admitted to a tertiary paediatric centre with the clinical diagnosis of Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP). Symptoms on admission included a generalised rash, colicky abdominal pain, hypertension, proteinuria and fresh rectal bleeding. Abdominal pain and distension worsened and serial ultrasounds suggested bowel ischaemia. He underwent repeat laparotomy and bowel resection, with slow improvement after the second laparotomy. The severity of systemic involvement (gastrointestinal, cardiac, renal and skin) made the initial diagnosis of HSP questionable. Immunohistochemistry of skin biopsies was negative for HSP. Histopathology of the bowel specimen revealed features of necrotising small and medium vessel vasculitis in keeping with polyarteritis nodosa.
Subject(s)
IgA Vasculitis/diagnosis , Polyarteritis Nodosa/diagnosis , Child , Diagnosis, Differential , Humans , IgA Vasculitis/classification , MaleABSTRACT
A 4-year-old girl presented with retching and abdominal colic and was initially diagnosed with gastroenteritis. However, progressive pain and epigastric distension led to a surgical review and she was discovered on CT scanning to have a gastric volvulus. She required urgent laparotomy to decompress the stomach and repair a perforation on the lesser curvature. Her recovery was complicated by sepsis and reperforation necessitating further laparotomy, at which time she also underwent gastropexy. The patient required long-term jejunal feeding in the hospital and at home before finally returning to normal diet and activity.
