CLOSTRIDIUM-PERFRINGENS INFECTION OF AN ANTERIOR ILIAC CREST BONE-GRAFT DONOR SITE - A CASE-REPORT

Postoperative infection of elective surgical wounds with Clostridium s pecies has been linked to gastrointestinal tract lesions. A 55-year-ol d man with a history of peptic ulcer disease was treated by open reduc tion and internal fixation with autogeneic cancellous bone grafting fr om an anterior iliac crest donor site for nonunion of the clavicle. A mild serosanguinous drainage from the Penrose drain site at the iliac crest had ceased on postoperative Day 11; the patient complained of pa in and a brownish drainage on postoperative Day 15. The infection was documented with cultures positive for Clostridium perfringens. Aggress ive emergent surgical and antibiotic therapy resulted in complete clin ical recovery. The wound infection did not advance to severe tissue da mage and myonecrosis. This case represents the first reported infectio n of an iliac crest bone graft site with C. perfringens.