Postoperative gas gangrene

Gas gangrene is a rare complication of elective surgery. Caused by several species of Clostridia, it is an acute, highly invasive necrotizing infection of muscle and fascia often leading to coma and death. Gas gangrene should be suspected if the patient has unremitting pain, high temperature, tachycardia, and prostration. Edema, brown watery exudate emanating from he wound, evidence of gas in tissues, and gram-positive rods on smear support the clinical diagnosis. Rapid surgical decompression and debridement is the basis of treatment. Adjuvant antibiotic, hyperbaric oxygen, antitoxin, local, and supportive therapies aid in treatment. The authors review the literature and discuss etiologies, pathogenesis, clinical features, and treatment.