Fatal Clostridium perfringens Meningitis Following Caudal Anesthesia in an Infant: A Case Report

Caudal anesthesia is referred to as a simple and safe method to obtain analgesia in infants during various surgical procedures. Here, we present a fatal course of a premature infant that received caudal anesthesia for inguinal hernia repair. While anesthesia and surgery were uneventful, the child developed an acute bacterial meningoencephalitis within a few hours. Microbiology revealed the presence of Clostridium perfringens in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The infant died 17 days after surgery. Preoperative screening for C. perfringens and particular caution in infants with intracerebral hemorrhages are discussed as potential factors to be considered when anesthesia is planned.