Article Text
Summary
Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a systemic necrotising vasculitis preferentially targeting medium-sized arteries and not related with glomerulonephritis or small vessel involvement. Clinical manifestations of PAN are multisystem. The gastrointestinal, renal, cardiac, musculoskeletal, skin and central nervous systems may be involved. The aetiology remains unknown, and the ensuing vasculitis may lead to aneurysm formation and thrombosis in any organs of the body with resultant ischaemia. PAN of the intestines is a relatively common manifestation of this disease but rarely causes bowel ischaemia resulting in necrosis. Here we report a case of a young Chinese patient who presented with an acute abdomen requiring surgery and made good recovery post operatively. He remains free of symptoms while on steroid therapy.
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Footnotes
Contributors All authors from surgery departments of various universities around the country cooperated and contributed to this case report. AVJ and NQF are responsible for reporting, coordinating and planning besides the data acquisition. RFJ and ADZ monitored, finalised and edited the case report and data to be published.
Competing interests None declared.
Patient consent Obtained.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.