Hereditary angioneurotic edema with severe hypovolemic shock

Hereditary angioneurotic edema (HAE) is characterized by recurrent attacks of edema of the upper airways, face, and limbs, and/or abdominal pains sometimes mimicking surgical abdomen. Our patient, a 24-year-old woman, had undergone laparotomy on a previous attack, at which a large amount of serous peritoneal fluid and edema of the intestinal wall were found. This time she presented with severe abdominal pain and profound hypovolemic shock requiring replacement of great amounts of fluids in addition to fresh frozen plasma. There was no evidence of bleeding, and the patient recovered rapidly. Based on clinical and ultrasonographic grounds and findings on previous laparotomy, we concluded that the shock was produced by fluid sequestration in the peritoneal cavity and intestinal wall. We propose that patients with HAE who present with abdominal pain, hypotension, hemoconcentration, and leukocytosis form a distinct subgroup with a high risk of hypovolemic shock. This dangerous development should be anticipated in these patients.