Delayed Unilateral Adrenal Hemorrhage Complicating Pneumococcal Septic Shock.

An 80-year-old male presented to the hospital after being found unresponsive at home. He was found to have pneumococcal pneumonia complicated by septic shock. He was treated in the medical ICU briefly with vasopressors and received intravenous antibiotics. He achieved a full recovery and was discharged after 10 days. He returned within 24 hours with vague abdominal and chest pain. His complaints of pain were difficult to localize--radiating from back to chest and abdomen. He received an extensive work-up to exclude acute coronary syndrome, pulmonary embolism, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, and rib fracture. He was ultimately found to have a symptomatic unilateral adrenal hemorrhage, likely secondary to the acute stress of septic shock.