Case Report
Copyright ©2006 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Aug 28, 2006; 12(32): 5256-5258
Published online Aug 28, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i32.5256
Multi-limb necrotizing fasciitis in a patient with rectal cancer
Shirley Yuk Wah Liu, Simon Siu Man Ng, Janet Fung Yee Lee
Shirley Yuk Wah Liu, Simon Siu Man Ng, Janet Fung Yee Lee, Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, 30-32 Ngan Shing Street, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Janet FY Lee, Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, HKSAR, China. janetlee@cuhk.edu.hk
Telephone: +852-26434253 Fax: +852-26377974
Received: February 13, 2006
Revised: March 1, 2006
Accepted: March 10, 2006
Published online: August 28, 2006
Abstract

Necrotizing fasciitis is a devastating soft tissue infection affecting fascias and subcutaneous soft tissues. Literature reviews have identified several related risk factors, including malignancy, alcoholism, malnutrition, diabetes, male gender and old age. There are only scanty case reports in the literature describing its rare association with colorectal malignancy. All published cases are attributed to bowel perforation resulting in necrotizing fasciitis over the perineal region. Isolated upper or lower limb diseases are rarely identified. Simultaneous upper and lower limb infection in colorectal cancer patients has never been described in the literature. We report an unusual case of multi-limb necrotizing fasciitis in a patient with underlying non-perforated rectal carcinoma.

Keywords: Necrotizing fasciitis; Soft tissue infection; Colorectal cancer; Malignancy; Group G streptococcus