[Meleney's postoperative gangrene]

The authors report the case of a 40 years old man undergoing MOPP chemotherapy for stage III Bb type 2 Hodgkin's disease with immune depression. Six years later he developed two episodes of unilateral transient loss of vision and severe stenosis of the left common carotid artery was found leading to surgical reimplantation of the left subclavian artery. Quickly spreading cutaneous necrosis was observed 5 days after surgery on the scar and the irradiated area: Meleney's postoperative gangrene, an unusual and frequently fatal complication of unknown cause. The patient recovered in two months after wide excision of the necrosed tissues and a skin autograft.