The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine
Online ISSN : 1349-3329
Print ISSN : 0040-8727
ISSN-L : 0040-8727
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Soft Tissue Gas Gangrene: A Severe Complication of Emphysematous Cholecystitis
Michael SafioleasMichael StamatakosMeletios KanakisConstantina SargediConstantinos SafioleasAnastasios SmirnisGeorge Vaiopoulos
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2007 Volume 213 Issue 4 Pages 323-328

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Abstract

Soft tissue gas gangrene with myonecrosis is a severe complication of traumatic and non-traumatic conditions with a potentially lethal outcome. Emphysematous cholecystitis is a complication of acute cholecystitis, which is characterized by air accumulation in the gallbladder wall and is reported in the literature as a rare causative factor of soft tissue gas gangrene. Here we report 4 patients who developed soft tissue gas gangrene as a complication of emphysematous cholecystitis. Two patients were female octogenarians (one with a history of diabetes mellitus), and underwent percutaneous trans-gallbladder drainage and fascia incisions of the affected soft tissue with prompt administration of antibiotics. Finally, both of them died. The other two patients were male (32 years old diabetic and 47 years old with a history of chronic alcoholism). They underwent open cholecystectomy. Fascia incisions of the gangrenous areas and antibiotic therapy administration were also performed. Both of them were discharged from the hospital and are currently in excellent clinical status. We also present the ultrasonographic and/or radiologic images of these four patients. Soft tissue gas gangrene may complicate emphysematous cholecystitis, and clinicians should be aware of the coexistence of these two clinical conditions, since immediate management is needed in order to prevent fatal outcome.

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© 2007 Tohoku University Medical Press
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