A Rare Case of Gas Gangrene of Abdominal Wall in Pregnancy

Abstract

Gas gangrene in pregnancy is a rare occurrence although associated with high mortality. We report the case of a patient who developed gas gangrene of abdominal wall post-partum. A 30-year-old G3P2L2 with 6 months of amenorrhea, a neglected ANC with no antenatal visits, a known case of quadriparesis, delivered a preterm male baby. Having a contusion of 20*10cm size on lower abdomen, a blister formed over the same post-partum which had to be debrided. She was treated vigorously with antibiotics and tetanus antitoxin; and appropriate supportive management. Patient’s condition worsened after 36hrs and 46 hrs after admission she went into cardiac arrest. And such we encountered a case in 2019 in modern-day obstetrics, of gas gangrene complicating pregnancy, costing life to both the new-born and parturient. The importance of early suspicion and diagnosis followed by prompt, vigorous treatment cannot be emphasized more.