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Cecal infarct: report of a case
I Elnakadi1, A Mehdi, S Franck
1Department of Digestive Surgery, Erasme Hospital-ULB, Brussels, Belgium.
Purpose:
The purpose of this article is to present a case of an uncommon opportunistic fungal infection that appears in immunologically or metabolically compromised patients and is usually fatal.
Method:
A 54-year-old woman with an acute lymphoblastic leukemia had acute abdominal pain with peritoneal symptoms during her hospital stay. A laparotomy was performed and a cecal infarct firmly adherent to about 30 cm of infiltrated jejunal loop was discovered.
Results:
Microscopic studies revealed an infiltration of the jejunal wall by abnormal lymphocytes. The cecal and ileal walls were infiltrated by leukocytes. Blood vessels were invaded by giant cells and large, unseptated, right-angle branching hyphea.
Conclusions:
These findings were considered typical of invasive mucormycosis of the cecum and the terminal ileum.
Insights
This case study highlights invasive mucormycosis, a rare fungal infection, in a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The infection led to cecal and ileal complications, emphasizing its fatal potential in immunocompromised individuals.
Area of Science:
- Medical Mycology
- Gastroenterology
- Hematology
Background:
- Opportunistic fungal infections pose significant threats to immunocompromised patients.
- Invasive mucormycosis is a rare but often fatal condition.
- Acute lymphoblastic leukemia compromises the immune system, increasing infection risk.