A Case of Aortic Aneurysm Rupture Infected by Clostridium septicum in a Patient with Colon Cancer

Hae Yoon Choi; Cheong Won Park; Ji Yoon Noh; Jung Yeon Heo; Mi Jung Kim; Won Suk Choi; Yu Mi Jo; Joon Young Song; Woo Joo Kim; Hee Jin Cheong

doi:10.3947/ic.2009.41.3.205

Journal List > Infect Chemother > v.41(3) > 1075464

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Choi, Park, Noh, Heo, Kim, Choi, Jo, Song, Kim, and Cheong: A Case of Aortic Aneurysm Rupture Infected by Clostridium septicum in a Patient with Colon Cancer

Case Report

Infection and Chemotherapy

Infection and Chemotherapy 2009; 41(3): 205-209.

Published online: 30 June 2009

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3947/ic.2009.41.3.205

A Case of Aortic Aneurysm Rupture Infected by Clostridium septicum in a Patient with Colon Cancer

Hae Yoon Choi, M.D., Cheong Won Park, M.D., Ji Yoon Noh, M.D., Jung Yeon Heo, M.D., Mi Jung Kim, M.D., Won Suk Choi, M.D., Yu Mi Jo, M.D., Joon Young Song, M.D., Woo Joo Kim, M.D., Hee Jin Cheong, M.D.

Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Correspondence author: Hee Jin Cheong, M.D. Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, 97 Guro Dong-Gil, Guro Gu, 152-703 Seoul, Korea. Tel: +82-2-2626-3050, Fax: +82-2-866-1643, heejinmd@medimail.co.kr

Received 27 May 2009 Accepted 10 June 2009

(open-access):

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Infected aortic aneurysm a life-threatening disease entity. Clostridium septicum is a very rare pathogen of infected aneurysms that carries a high mortality rate and demonstrates a strong association with an derlying colonic or hematologic neoplasm. Herein, we report a case of ruptured aortic aneurysm infected by C. septicum in a patient with colon cancer. This is the first reported case of infected aneurysm caused by C. septicum in Korea. Early diagnosis, appropriate antibiotic therapy, and prompt surgical interventions are required considering the rapid downhill progression of C. septicum-induced infected aneurysm.

Keywords: Infected aortic aneurysm, Colon cancer, Clostridium septicum

Figures and Tables

Figure 1

A) Chest X-ray on admission shows patchy and band-like increased densities in left lung. Pleural effusion is noted in both lower hemithoraces. B) Chest X-ray taken on 5th hospital day shows new opacity in the left para-aortic arch level.

Figure 2

A) Abdomen and pelvis CT shows encircling enhancing wall thickening at mid-ascending colon with pericolic fat infiltration and multiple small regional lymph nodes. B) A total colonofiberscopy shows large encircling mass at mid to distal ascending colon, suggestive of colon cancer.

Figure 3

A) Chest CT scan shows poorly defined soft tissue densities in superior mediastinum, B) Focal aortic dilation at aortic arch level with numerous intramural air densities is seen.

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