A Rare Cause of Severe Abdominal Pain in Children: Hereditary Angioedema

Abstract

Hereditary angioedema (HA) is an autosomal dominantly inherited disease characterized by recurrent angioedema attacks. Angioedema is frequently seen in the arms and legs, the neck, the airways, in the genital region and in visceral organs. Edema of the intestinal mucosa can lead to transient obstruction and severe abdominal pain that can mimic acute abdomen. This can result undergoing unnecessary surgery in the patients. We presented a 15 years old girl that admitted to the emergency department due to sudden onset colic-type abdominal pain. The patient’s mother had previously under gone surgery three times with the same findings who has been followed up HA. We report this case to emphasize that patients with HA may present to emergency departments with severe abdominal pain related to intestinal involvement and with findings of acute abdomen.