Perforated appendicitis during near-term pregnancy causing necrotizing fasciitis of the lower extremity: a rare complication of a common disease.
A 33-year-old woman presented with pain in the right side of the abdomen at 35 weeks of gestation. She was treated for cystitis. A few days later, her abdominal pain had disappeared; however, she had developed pain in the right thigh and fever. She delivered a healthy child, but postpartum her leg symptoms deteriorated. She was found to have a necrotizing fasciitis, which necessitated disarticulation of the hip. The source of the infection was a perforated appendix.
Penninga
Luit
L
Department of Surgery CTX, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark. luitpenninga@hotmail.com
Wettergren
André
A
D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D019115:Fasciitis, Necrotizing / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents