A coronavirus swab test went so far up a woman’s nose that it caused her brain to leak, a new case report has revealed.
The woman, in her forties, went to see her doctor after experiencing a runny nose, a headache, a stiff neck and a metallic taste in her mouth.
During her assessment, the woman revealed that she had recently been tested for coronavirus, ahead of a hernia operation.
However, shortly after the surgery, she developed a headache, a runny nose and vomiting.
The woman was referred to the University of Iowa Hospitals, where doctors discovered a mass in the middle of her right nasal cavity.
(Image: JAMA Otolaryngology/University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics)
When the doctors drained the mass, they discovered that it contained a protein in cerebrospinal fluid, which is found in the brain and spine.
The patient was admitted to the hospital for endoscopic surgical repair.
The doctors believe that this is the first case of its kind.
In their report, published in JAMA Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, the team, led by Dr Christopher Blake Sullivan, wrote: “Complications associated with nasal swab testing are not well characterised. We describe the first case of a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak after nasal testing for COVID-19, to our knowledge.”
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The nasal swab test is the most common method to test for antigens, which indicate that you’re currently infected with coronavirus.
The NHS explained: “This test involves taking a swab of the inside of your nose and the back of your throat, using a long cotton bud. It checks if you have the virus now.
“You can do the swab yourself (if you are aged 12 or over) or someone can do it for you. Parents or guardians have to swab test children aged 11 or under.”
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