Sporadic nonfamily case of hereditary angioedema type III presenting as recurrent abdominal pain with intestinal obstruction in women with primary infertility

Abstract

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a debilitating disorder that can substantially impair quality of life. Three types of HAE are described in literature. Women are particularly prone to attacks due to multiple estrogen-related triggers. Abdominal involvement in angioedema is often a challenge to diagnose. Recurrent or acute onset abdominal pain can be the only presenting symptom, and misdiagnosis may lead to unnecessary surgical intervention. Clinicians need to be familiar with the types and presentations of the various types of angioedema. The knowledge about new, effective, and safe therapies, along with an increased awareness of HAE and its related concerns should help clinicians in providing optimal treatment to their patients and avoid unnecessary surgical interventions. We report a sporadic nonfamily case of HAE type III presenting as recurrent abdominal pain with intestinal obstruction in women with primary infertility.