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Clostridium septicum infection of hepatic metastases following alcohol injection: a case report.

ABSTRACT: Clostridium septicum infections are generally associated with gastrointestinal or hematologic malignancies. We report the first case of hepatic metastases infection with Clostridium septicum that followed alcohol injection of liver lesion. Clinicians should consider this possibility in patients with underlying malignancy who present with hepatic abscess, as prompt surgical drainage and empiric antibiotics may be life saving.

SUBMITTER: Saleh N

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2806403 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Clostridium septicum infection of hepatic metastases following alcohol injection: a case report.

Saleh Neam N Sohail Muhammad R MR Hashmey Rayhan H RH Al Kaabi Mohammed M

Cases journal 20091231

Clostridium septicum infections are generally associated with gastrointestinal or hematologic malignancies. We report the first case of hepatic metastases infection with Clostridium septicum that followed alcohol injection of liver lesion. Clinicians should consider this possibility in patients with underlying malignancy who present with hepatic abscess, as prompt surgical drainage and empiric antibiotics may be life saving. ...[more]

PMID: 20072687

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Project description:IntroductionStress cardiomyopathy, also known as takotsubo syndrome, is characterized by transient left ventricular dysfunction not attributable to obstructive epicardial coronary artery disease. Several pathological mechanisms have been proposed, including multivessel coronary artery vasospasm, coronary microcirculatory dysfunction, and excess catecholamine secretion.Case presentationA 68-year-old male presented to our institution for elective surgical removal of a cutaneous basal cell carcinoma on the right side of his face. Within minutes following the administration of local anaesthesia, the patient developed severe hypertension, tachycardia, ST-segment elevation on the electrocardiogram, and non-sustained broad-complex tachycardia. Urgent cardiac catheterization revealed non-obstructive coronary artery disease and left ventriculography demonstrated apical hypokinesia and moderate systolic dysfunction consistent with the takotsubo syndrome. On review of the medications administered, it was noted that an unintentionally large dose of adrenaline (4mg) had been injected subcutaneously with lignocaine. He was monitored in the coronary care and recovered fully with supportive care only. Bisoprolol was initiated on day 1 post procedure. On follow-up one month later, his left ventricular function had normalized.DiscussionOur case report provides direct evidence supporting the pathogenetic role of excess catecholamine secretion in the development of the takotsubo syndrome. A review of the literature reveals that both exogenous catecholamine administration (adrenaline injection in the context of anaphylaxis or infiltrative anaesthesia) and excess endogenous catecholamine (phaechromocytoma) secretion has been associated with the takotsubo syndrome. Local infiltrative anaesthesia with the addition of adrenaline is commonly used as a vasoconstrictor in a wide variety of surgical procedures. To reduce the risk of adverse events, the lowest effective concentration of adrenaline to provide pain control and vasoconstriction is recommended.

Project description:Reduced tissue perfusion leading to tissue ischemia is a central component of the pathogenesis of myonecrosis caused by Clostridium perfringens. The C. perfringens alpha-toxin has been shown capable of inducing these changes, but its potential synergy with perfringolysin O (theta-toxin) is less well understood. Similarly, Clostridium septicum is a highly virulent causative agent of spontaneous gas gangrene, but its effect on the microcirculation has not been examined. Therefore, the aim of this study was to use intravital microscopy to examine the effects of C. perfringens and C. septicum on the functional microcirculation, coupled with the use of isogenic toxin mutants to elucidate the role of particular toxins in the resultant microvascular perfusion deficits. This study represents the first time this integrated approach has been used in the analysis of the pathological response to clostridial toxins. Culture supernatants from wild-type C. perfringens induced extensive cell death within 30 min, as assessed by in vivo uptake of propidium iodide. Furthermore, significant reductions in capillary perfusion were observed within 60 min. Depletion of either platelets or neutrophils reduced the alteration in perfusion, consistent with a role for these blood-borne cells in obstructing perfusion. In addition, mutation of either the alpha-toxin or perfringolysin O structural genes attenuated the reduction in perfusion, a process that was reversed by genetic complementation. C. septicum also induced a marked reduction in perfusion, with the degree of microvascular compromise correlating with the level of the C. septicum alpha-toxin. Together, these data indicate that as a result of its ability to produce alpha-toxin and perfringolysin O, C. perfringens rapidly induces irreversible cellular injury and a marked reduction in microvascular perfusion. Since C. septicum induces a similar reduction in microvascular perfusion, it is postulated that this function is central to the pathogenesis of clostridial myonecrosis, irrespective of the causative bacterium.

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Clostridium septicum infection of hepatic metastases following alcohol injection: a case report.

Publications

Clostridium septicum infection of hepatic metastases following alcohol injection: a case report.

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