Necrotizing cellulitis of the abdominal wall, caused by Pediococcus sp., due to rupture of a retroperitoneal stromal cell tumor.
BACKGROUND
Soft tissue necrotizing infections are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to present a patient with necrotizing infection of abdominal wall resulting from the rupture of a retroperitoneal stromal tumor.


METHODS
We present a 60-year-old Caucasian male patient with necrotizing infection of abdominal wall secondary to the rupture of a retroperitoneal stromal tumor. The patient was initially treated with debridement and fasciotomy of the anterior abdominal wall. Laparotomy revealed purulent peritonitis caused by infiltration and rupture of the splenic flexure by the tumor. Despite prompt intervention the patient died 19 days later. The isolated microorganism causing the infection was the rarely identified as cause of infections in humans Pediococcus sp., a gram-positive, catalase-negative coccus.


CONCLUSIONS
Necrotizing infections of abdominal wall are usually secondary either to perineal or to intra-abdominal infections. Gastrointestinal stromal cell tumors could be rarely complicated with perforation and abscess formation. In our case, the infiltrated by the extra-gastrointestinal stromal cell tumor ruptured colon was the source of the infection. The pediococci are rarely isolated as the cause of severe septicemia.


CONCLUSIONS
Ruptured retroperitoneal stromal cell tumors are extremely rare cause of necrotizing fasciitis, and before this case, Pediococcus sp. has never been isolated as the responsible agent.
3rd Department of Surgery, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, AHEPA University Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: nickos.michalopoulos@gmail.com.
Nick
N
Michalopoulos
Stergiani
S
Arampatzi
Theodossis S
TS
Papavramidis
Efstathios
E
Kotidis
Styliani
S
Laskou
Spiros T
ST
Papavramidis