Coarctation of the Aorta Masquerading as Abdominal Pain in an 11-Year-Old Boy: A Case Report

TL;DR

An 11-year-old boy with abdominal pain was found to have a rare heart defect called coarctation of the aorta, which was successfully treated with stent angioplasty.

Contribution

This case report highlights an unusual presentation of coarctation of the aorta in a child with non-cardiac symptoms.

Findings

An 11-year-old boy presented with abdominal pain and was diagnosed with coarctation of the aorta.

Stent angioplasty successfully treated the condition and stabilized the patient.

The case emphasizes the importance of considering rare heart defects in children with atypical symptoms.

Abstract

Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) is a congenital heart defect characterized by constriction of the aortic lumen, which tends to cause left ventricular overload and distinctive levels of systemic hypertension. However, symptoms, such as intermittent high blood pressure and abdominal pain, tend to emerge in late childhood. Herein, we report the case of an 11-year-old boy who presented with an array of symptoms, including intermittent vomiting, nausea, and recurrent epigastric pain, and was diagnosed with CoA. A series of clinical examinations revealed upper-limb hypertension with a pressure gradient between the lower and upper extremities. Echocardiography confirmed the diagnosis and showed that the CoA had a peak gradient of 49 mmHg. Additionally, computed tomography angiography revealed anatomical narrowing at the isthmus of the distal transverse arch and descending aorta. Therefore, the patient was stabilized with intravenous labetalol and underwent successful stent angioplasty. The patient tolerated the procedure well, and after two days of observation and stabilization, he was discharged home with scheduled follow-up at the cardiology clinic for antihypertensive and antiplatelet therapy.

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