Clostridial myonecrosis (CM) is a rare infection that usually arises after traumatic injury. Spontaneous or nontraumatic CM is even more rare and has been described in association with colorectal malignancy. These infections carry a high mortality rate and require urgent surgical intervention and intensive antibiotic therapy. This report describes a patient who presented with nontraumatic CM of the lower extremity in association with adenocarcinoma of the cecum.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
PelletierJPR, PlumbleyJA, RouseEA, . The role of Clostridium septicum in paraneoplastic sepsis. Arch Pathol Lab Med2000;124:353–6.
2.
ValentineEG. Nontraumatic gas gangrene. Ann Emerg Med1997;30:109–11.
3.
Brown-HarrellV, NittaAT, GobleM. Recurrent episodes of spontaneous clostridial myonecrosis related to colorectal carcinoma. Clin Infect Dis1996;22:582–3.
4.
HazanasFH, TorresCP, TornayGD, . Clostridium septicum primary myonecrosis related to cecal neoplasia. Intens Care Med1995;21:193–4.
5.
FernandezRJ, GluckJL. Clostridium septicum gas gangrene of the gluteus maximus and an ascending colon malignant tumor. Clin Orthopaed Relat Res1994;308:178–82.
6.
KornbluthAA, DanzigJB, BernsteinLH. Clostridium septicum infection and associated malignancy. Medicine1989;68:30–7.
7.
ArenasRB, SeamanDS, McLaughlinCM, . Clostridium septicum myonecrosis in association with colonic malignancy. Conn Med1998;52:709–12.
8.
DasTK, VarezAS. Clostridial myonecrosis: A presenting feature in carcinoma of the colon. Br J Clin Pract1998;42:304–6.
9.
KaiserCW, MilgromML, LynchJA. Distant nontraumatic clostridial myonecrosis and malignancy. Cancer1986;57:885–9.
10.
RedingtonAN, SpringR, BattenJC. Adenocarcinoma of the ileum presenting as non-traumatic clostridial myonecrosis in cystic fibrosis. Br Med J1985;290:1871–2.
11.
ChettaSG, WeberMJ, NelsonCL. Non-traumatic clostridial myonecrosis. J Bone Jt Surg1982;64:456–7.
KimballHW, RawsonAJ. Non-traumatic gas gangrene. Va Med1952;79:269–71.
14.
StevensDL, MusherDM, WatsonDA, . Spontaneous, nontraumatic gangrene due to Clostridium septicum.Rev Infect Dis1990;12:286.
15.
HawkinsC, RileyJL. Spontaneous gas gangrene: An unusual complication of colonic carcinoma. Clin Oncol1997;9:184–5.
16.
LarsonCM, BubrickMP, JacobsDM, . Malignancy, mortality and medicosurgical management of Clostridium septicum infection. Surgery1995;118:592–8.
17.
StevensDL, MaierKA, LaineBM, . Comparison of clindamycin, rifampin, tetracycline, metronidazole, and penicillin for efficacy in prevention of experimental gas gangrene due to Clostridium perfringens.J Infect Dis1987;155:220.
18.
ShupakA, HalpernP, ZiserA, . Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for gas gangrene casualties in the Lebanon War, 1982. Isr J Med Sci1984;20:323.
19.
ElliottD, KuferaJA, MyersRAM. The microbiology of necrotizing soft tissue infections. Am J Surg2000;179:361–6.
