Perforated appendicitis during near-term pregnancy causing necrotizing fasciitis of the lower extremity: a rare complication of a common disease

Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2006;85(9):1150-1. doi: 10.1080/00016340600613816.

Abstract

A 33-year-old woman presented with pain in the right side of the abdomen at 35 weeks of gestation. She was treated for cystitis. A few days later, her abdominal pain had disappeared; however, she had developed pain in the right thigh and fever. She delivered a healthy child, but postpartum her leg symptoms deteriorated. She was found to have a necrotizing fasciitis, which necessitated disarticulation of the hip. The source of the infection was a perforated appendix.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Appendicitis / complications
  • Appendicitis / diagnosis*
  • Appendicitis / surgery
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Escherichia coli Infections / diagnosis*
  • Escherichia coli Infections / drug therapy
  • Escherichia coli Infections / etiology
  • Escherichia coli Infections / surgery
  • Fasciitis, Necrotizing / diagnosis*
  • Fasciitis, Necrotizing / etiology
  • Fasciitis, Necrotizing / surgery
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / diagnosis*
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / drug therapy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / etiology
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / surgery
  • Pregnancy Outcome
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents