Massive Gas-Bacillus Infection of the Liver after Surgical Exploration of a Stenotic Biliary Anastomosis

Two cases of clostridial hepatitis

“…Clostridia may be found in the lumen of the biliary tract in a proportion of patients submitted to operations on these organs (Kivel, Kessler, and Cameron, 1958) and local infection of the liver may ensue either spontaneously (Jarkowski and Wolf, 1962) or after operations in this region (Mackay, Caldwell, and Hindawi, 1963). A case showing some similarity to the first case described in this paper is case 1 of Jarkowski and Wolf, a 21-year-old girl suffering from acute lymphatic leukaemia, who developed clostridial enteritis and septicaemia and was found, at necropsy, to have gas-filled cysts in the liver, spleen, and brain.…”

Clostridial gas gangrene and septicemia in malignant disease

“…P rarely but it occurs following any surgery, particularly procedures on the stomach, intestines or gall bladder. [13][14][15][16][17][18] The most common traumatic event leading to clostridial infection is external or intrauterine trauma. 15 Although clostridial septicemia has been reported in relation with neoplastic disease,3, l5 it generally is considered an unusual complication.…”