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A case of Clostridium septicum spontaneous gas gangrene

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 May 2015

Joe Dylewski ,
Robert Drummond  and
John Rowen
Joe Dylewski*
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine and Laboratories, St. Mary's Hospital, Montréal, Que.
Robert Drummond
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Mary's Hospital, Montréal, Que.
John Rowen
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Mary's Hospital, Montréal, Que.
*
Department of Medicine and Laboratories, St. Mary's Hospital, 3830 Lacombe Avenue, Montreal QC H3T 1M5

Abstract

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Severe skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) are often life-threatening emergencies that require a rapid diagnosis. Gas gangrene is one of the most fulminant types of SSTI and is usually caused by Clostridium perfringens' contamination of an open wound.

Although gas gangrene is usually associated with fecally contaminated wounds, “spontaneous” cases occur and are most commonly caused by Clostridium (C.) septicum. We report a case of spontaneous gas gangrene caused by C. septicum that only became manifest while the patient was being monitored in the emergency department. We also review the diagnosis and treatment aspects of this entity.

Keywords

gas gangreneClostridium septicum
Type
Case Reports • Observations de cas
Information
Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine , Volume 9 , Issue 2 , March 2007 , pp. 133 - 135
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians 2007

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