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Occult gastrointestinal carcinoma causing metastatic clostridial soft-tissue infection

Report of two cases

  • Published:
Diseases of the Colon & Rectum

Abstract

The association between nontraumatic, metastatic, clostridial softtissue infection and malignancy is well recognized, particularly whenClostridium septicum is involved. This report presents two patients with nontraumatic, metastatic, soft-tissue infection due toC. septicum and reviews the English medical literature. Eighty-four percent of the reported patients were found to have colon carcinoma, which was postulated to be the portal of entry. Prognosis is poor, but early recognition and antimicrobial therapy with prompt and aggressive surgical intervention, both for the soft-tissue infection and the abdominal process, may lower the high mortality.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio

    Donald Buckley M.D. &  Kenneth Kudsk M.D.

Authors
  1. Donald Buckley M.D.
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  2. Kenneth Kudsk M.D.
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Buckley, D., Kudsk, K. Occult gastrointestinal carcinoma causing metastatic clostridial soft-tissue infection. Dis Colon Rectum 31, 306–310 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02554366

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02554366

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