Liver abscess and sepsis caused by Clostridium perfringens and Klebsiella oxytoca.

BACKGROUND

Clostridium (C) perfringens and Klebsiella (K) oxytoca are pathogenous human bacteria. Due to the production of several toxins C. perfringens is virulent by causing i.a. the necrotizing fasciitis, gas gangrene and hepatic abscess. K. oxytoca mostly causes infections of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract.

METHODS

We are presenting the case of a male patient at the age of 64, who suffered from nausea and progressive pain in the right upper abdomen. A computer tomography of the abdomen revealed a 7×5,6cm sized entrapped air in liver segment VII. Later the patient developed a multiorgan failure. We then performed an explorative laparotomy. Intraoperatively it became clear that the liver was destructed presenting an open liver abscess (LA) cavity of segment VII. The gallbladder was found inflamed. We successfully conducted the consistent debridement of segment VII and removed the gallbladder. Microbiological examination isolated C. perfringens and K. oxytoca. The patient survived undergoing antimicrobial and multimodal sepsis therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

The LA is a severe disease in surgery. In literature an overall mortality of 6-14% is described. Mostly bacterial infections of the biliary tract and the gallbladder are responsible for a LA. Abscesses with sepsis caused by both, C. perfringens and K. oxytoca, are highly perilous but rarely described in literature.

CONCLUSIONS

When diagnosing an LA caused by C. perfringens an immediate surgical debridement and antimicrobial treatment is mandatory for the patient's survival.