Clostridium perfringens empyema after right hemicolectomy for caecal volvulus

Abstract

Empyema of the lung is an infection-induced collection of fluid in the chest cavity. Clostridium perfringens is a bacterium that inhabits the intestine and is a rare cause of empyema after abdominal surgery. A slow phase of infection, associated with C. perfringens empyema, has previously been reported in cases of similar infections. Herein, we present a case of C. perfringens empyema following abdominal surgery. The empyema was initially managed using oxygen supplementation, fluid drainage and antibiotic therapy.This initial therapy failed in the present case because multiple collections of infected fluid prevented the lungs from expanding, requiring decortication, a pulmonary operation to remove the inflammatory tissue from the walls of the lung and associated with the infection, to allow the lung to expand. Following this operation, the patient recovered baseline levels of breathing and oxygen supplementation.

Keywords: Cardiothoracic surgery; General surgery; Infectious diseases; Pneumonia (respiratory medicine).