title: Clostridial abdominal gas gangrene masquerading as a bowel perforation in an advanced-stage ovarian cancer patient.
abstract: The coexistence of clostridial gas gangrene and a gynecologic malignancy is extremely rare, with very few cases involving ovarian cancer. A patient originally presented to our gynecologic oncology service with stage IV ovarian cancer; she underwent a diagnostic laparoscopy and neoadjuvant chemotherapy. On postoperative day 6, the patient developed severe abdominal pain, nausea, and emesis, suggestive of a bowel perforation. Further evaluation confirmed that her symptoms were attributed to Clostridium perfringens-related gas gangrene. Despite immediate surgical intervention, the patient succumbed to her disease. Clostridial gas gangrene is associated with an extremely high mortality rate. Therefore, accurate detection and prompt management are indispensable to ensuring a favorable patient outcome.
authors.affiliation: Gynecologic Oncology Associates, Newport Beach, CA 92663, USA.
authors.forename: L N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Abaid
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Epstein
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Goldstein
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005738:Gas Gangrene / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000473:pathology*; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed