Arterial Thrombotic Complications in COVID-19: A Case of Renal Infarction

COVID-19 infection has been associated with thrombotic complications, especially venous thromboembolism. Although arterial thrombotic complications are rarely seen in these patients, we report the case of a 43-year-old patient who developed thrombosis of the main branch of the left renal artery, causing partial infarction of the left kidney associated with severe pain. He had no risk factors for thrombosis except for COVID-19 infection. We excluded any possible condition usually associated with renal artery thrombosis/embolism (i.e., cardiovascular, oncological, hematological, or rheumatic). The thrombosis resolved after a combination of anticoagulant and anti-platelet therapy. This case highlights the importance of the risk of recurrence of thrombosis in patients with a recent history of COVID-19, even after hospital discharge, improvement of the initial thrombotic event, and clearance of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Automated summary

COVID-19 infection can lead to thrombotic complications, especially venous thromboembolism. This case report highlights the occurrence of arterial thrombosis in a patient with COVID-19, causing partial kidney infarction and severe pain. It emphasizes the importance of the risk of recurrent thrombosis in patients with a recent history of COVID-19.