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Group A Streptococcus causing descending necrotizing mediastinitis: report of a case and literature review
Yves Collin1, Marco Sirois, Alex Carignan
1Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada. yves.collin@usherbrooke.ca
Background:
Descending necrotizing mediastinitis is a serious condition with few cases reported in the literature. Surgical treatment is controversial and may include wound exploration, local drainage, and even mediastinal debridement approached by thoracotomy.
Methods:
Description of a case of descending mediastinitis caused by group A Streptococcus as a complication of thyroidectomy.
Results:
Aggressive debridement was required for source control and treatment of septic shock.
Conclusion:
Post-thyroidectomy descending necrotizing mediastinitis is a rare and dangerous infection. It should be treated aggressively with appropriate cervical and mediastinal drainage combined with optimum medical care.
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