Fatal Clostridium septicum gas gangrene complicating ECMO: case report and review of literature.
Adrien TurbanVincent JoussellinCaroline PiauVincent CattoirYoann LauneyGabriel EustachePublished in: Access microbiology (2024)
Clostridium septicum gas gangrene is a severe and deadly infection caused by an anaerobic, spore-forming, Gram-positive bacillus. As previously described, two entities are observed: traumatic and spontaneous (or non-traumatic) forms. In this report, we aim to describe the case of a fulminant and ultimately fatal C. septicum myonecrosis occurring in a patient who was first admitted for refractory cardiac arrest and placed on veino-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Building upon prior studies that have documented cases of spontaneous gas gangrene caused by C. septicum , we provide an updated compilation, focusing on microbiological characteristics of C. septicum , along with the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges associated with spontaneous gas gangrene. Additionally, the specific clinical situation of our case illustrates the seriousness of this infectious complication that combined both spontaneous and traumatic gas gangrene risk factors. We thus, discuss the antibiotic coverage prior to the initiation of ECMO procedure.
Keyphrases
- extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
- acute respiratory distress syndrome
- room temperature
- spinal cord injury
- respiratory failure
- cardiac arrest
- risk factors
- carbon dioxide
- mechanical ventilation
- microbial community
- early onset
- wastewater treatment
- risk assessment
- ionic liquid
- heavy metals
- bacillus subtilis
- health insurance
- liver failure