[Fatal course of a fulminant gas gangrene of the right hemithorax].

Unfallchirurgie (Heidelb)

Klinik für Unfallchirurgie und Orthopädie, Universitätsklinikum Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum, In der Schornau 23-25, 44892, Bochum, Deutschland.

Published: October 2024

AI Article Synopsis

  • Gas gangrene is a rare but severe infection often caused by the pathogen Clostridium septicum, which can develop either from trauma or spontaneously, particularly in patients with conditions like occult colon carcinoma.
  • Individuals with diabetes mellitus are at a higher risk for developing this infection, which has a high mortality rate of around 50%, even with aggressive treatment.
  • Initial symptoms are vague, complicating early diagnosis, and treatment typically involves high-dose antibiotics, surgical removal of infected tissue, and sometimes hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Article Abstract

The full clinical picture of a gas gangrene infection is an absolute rarity. The mechanism of development can be either traumatic or spontaneous (e.g., hematogenous seeding in occult colon carcinoma). In particular, the rare pathogen Clostridium septicum appears to be associated with spontaneously occurring gas gangrene. Diabetes mellitus is a significant risk factor. The mortality rate of the disease is around 50%, even with maximum therapeutic efforts, and the course of the disease is fulminant in the majority of cases. Initial symptoms are unspecific and make early diagnosis difficult. Treatment consists of high-dose antibiotics in combination with radical surgical debridement and, if necessary, supplementary hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00113-024-01490-6DOI Listing

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