Biomaterial Database

Case report. Fatal gas gangrene following intra-articular steroid injection. 1982

B G Yangco, and B F Germain, and S C Deresinski

Gas gangrene is a rare infectious disease syndrome complicating medico-surgical procedures. We describe a case of gas gangrene secondary to intra-articular steroid injection. Clostridia species and Escherichia coli were the etiologic organisms in this case. The presence of underlying diseases such as diabetes mellitus, hepatic insufficiency, and metabolic acidosis could have contributed to the fatal outcome of this patient. A high index of suspicion, early diagnosis, and appropriate treatment may improve the prognosis in gas gangrene. Although uncommon, infection is a significant complication of intra-articular steroid administration. Thus, meticulous aseptic technique should always be observed in the performance of this procedure.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007049	Iatrogenic Disease	Any adverse condition in a patient occurring as the result of treatment by a physician, surgeon, or other health professional, especially infections acquired by a patient during the course of treatment.	Hospital-Acquired Condition,Condition, Hospital-Acquired,Conditions, Hospital-Acquired,Disease, Iatrogenic,Diseases, Iatrogenic,Hospital Acquired Condition,Hospital-Acquired Conditions,Iatrogenic Diseases
D007270	Injections, Intra-Articular	Methods of delivering drugs into a joint space.	Intra Articular Injection,Intraarticular Injection,Injections, Intraarticular,Intra-Articular Injections,Intraarticular Injections,Articular Injection, Intra,Articular Injections, Intra,Injection, Intra Articular,Injection, Intra-Articular,Injection, Intraarticular,Injections, Intra Articular,Intra Articular Injections,Intra-Articular Injection
D008107	Liver Diseases	Pathological processes of the LIVER.	Liver Dysfunction,Disease, Liver,Diseases, Liver,Dysfunction, Liver,Dysfunctions, Liver,Liver Disease,Liver Dysfunctions
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D003015	Clostridium Infections	Infections with bacteria of the genus CLOSTRIDIUM and closely related CLOSTRIDIOIDES species.	Clostridioides Infections,Clostridioides difficile Infection,Clostridioides perfringens Food Poisoning,Clostridioides perfringens Infections,Clostridioides sordellii Infection,Clostridium difficile Infections,Clostridium sordellii Infections,Clostridium difficile Infection,Clostridium perfringens Food Poisoning,Clostridium perfringens Infections,Clostridium sordellii Infection,Infections, Clostridium,Clostridioides Infection,Clostridioides perfringens Infection,Clostridium Infection,Clostridium perfringens Infection,Infection, Clostridioides difficile,Infection, Clostridioides sordellii,Infection, Clostridium,Infection, Clostridium difficile,Infection, Clostridium sordellii
D004927	Escherichia coli Infections	Infections with bacteria of the species ESCHERICHIA COLI.	E coli Infections,E. coli Infection,Infections, E coli,Infections, Escherichia coli,E coli Infection,E. coli Infections,Escherichia coli Infection,Infection, E coli,Infection, E. coli,Infection, Escherichia coli
D005738	Gas Gangrene	A severe condition resulting from bacteria invading healthy muscle from adjacent traumatized muscle or soft tissue. The infection originates in a wound contaminated with bacteria of the genus CLOSTRIDIUM. C. perfringens accounts for the majority of cases (over eighty percent), while C. noyvi, C. septicum, and C. histolyticum cause most of the other cases.	Gangrene, Gas,Gangrenes, Gas,Gas Gangrenes
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001170	Arthritis, Infectious	Arthritis caused by BACTERIA; RICKETTSIA; MYCOPLASMA; VIRUSES; FUNGI; or PARASITES.	Arthritis, Bacterial,Arthritis, Septic,Arthritis, Viral,Arthritides, Bacterial,Arthritis, Suppurative,Bacterial Arthritides,Bacterial Arthritis,Infectious Arthritis,Suppurative Arthritis,Septic Arthritis,Viral Arthritis