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Gas Gangrene and Mixed-Clostridial Infections of Muscle Complicating Deep Thermal Burns

Gas Gangrene and Mixed-Clostridial Infections of Muscle Complicating Deep Thermal Burns Abstract DURING two years, intensive bacteriologic study of the wounds of 50 patients suffering from major thermal burns has been performed at the Hartford Burn Unit in the Barnes Hospital. Anaerobic techniques were not used routinely, but only if the clinical circumstances seemed to warrant it. Despite this somewhat casual approach, clostridia were recovered in 45 of 1,843 consecutive cultures from 11 (22%) of the patients. In four patients the organisms were considered to be mere contaminants and of no apparent clinical significance. In seven patients with deep burns that extended to muscle, a mixed infection of muscle occurred from which pathogenic clostridia of several species, as well as a variety of other organisms, were recovered. The infection invariably resulted in severe systemic illness and either in extensive tissue loss or in amputation. All seven patients died: one patient of gas gangrene, another of septicemia due to Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa References 1. C pergringens, C novyi, C septicum, C bifermentans, C histolyticum, and C fallax. 2. Moyer, C.A., et al: The Treatment of Large Burns With 0.5% Silver Nitrate Solution , Arch Surg 90:812-867, 1965.Crossref 3. Monafo, W.W., and Moyer, C.A.: Effectiveness of Dilute Aqueous Silver Nitrate in the Treatment of Major Burns , Arch Surg 91:200-210, 1965.Crossref 4. Cole, W.R.: Personal communication, January, 1964. 5. MacLennan, J.D.: The Histotoxic Clostridial Infections of Man , Bact Rev 26:177-274, 1962. 6. Price, P.B., et al: Bacterial Invasion in Experimental Burns , Surg Forum 6:64-67, 1955. 7. Russell, G.S.; Modlin, J.J.; and Almond, C.H.: Gas Gangrene: A Preventable Disease , Missouri Med 62:386-388, 1965. 8. Robb-Smith, A.H.T.: Tissue Changes Induced by Clostridial Welchii Type A Filtrates , Lancet 2:362-370, 1945.Crossref http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Archives of Surgery American Medical Association

Gas Gangrene and Mixed-Clostridial Infections of Muscle Complicating Deep Thermal Burns

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References (7)

Publisher
American Medical Association
Copyright
Copyright © 1966 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN
0004-0010
eISSN
1538-3644
DOI
10.1001/archsurg.1966.01320200052010
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Abstract DURING two years, intensive bacteriologic study of the wounds of 50 patients suffering from major thermal burns has been performed at the Hartford Burn Unit in the Barnes Hospital. Anaerobic techniques were not used routinely, but only if the clinical circumstances seemed to warrant it. Despite this somewhat casual approach, clostridia were recovered in 45 of 1,843 consecutive cultures from 11 (22%) of the patients. In four patients the organisms were considered to be mere contaminants and of no apparent clinical significance. In seven patients with deep burns that extended to muscle, a mixed infection of muscle occurred from which pathogenic clostridia of several species, as well as a variety of other organisms, were recovered. The infection invariably resulted in severe systemic illness and either in extensive tissue loss or in amputation. All seven patients died: one patient of gas gangrene, another of septicemia due to Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa References 1. C pergringens, C novyi, C septicum, C bifermentans, C histolyticum, and C fallax. 2. Moyer, C.A., et al: The Treatment of Large Burns With 0.5% Silver Nitrate Solution , Arch Surg 90:812-867, 1965.Crossref 3. Monafo, W.W., and Moyer, C.A.: Effectiveness of Dilute Aqueous Silver Nitrate in the Treatment of Major Burns , Arch Surg 91:200-210, 1965.Crossref 4. Cole, W.R.: Personal communication, January, 1964. 5. MacLennan, J.D.: The Histotoxic Clostridial Infections of Man , Bact Rev 26:177-274, 1962. 6. Price, P.B., et al: Bacterial Invasion in Experimental Burns , Surg Forum 6:64-67, 1955. 7. Russell, G.S.; Modlin, J.J.; and Almond, C.H.: Gas Gangrene: A Preventable Disease , Missouri Med 62:386-388, 1965. 8. Robb-Smith, A.H.T.: Tissue Changes Induced by Clostridial Welchii Type A Filtrates , Lancet 2:362-370, 1945.Crossref

Journal

Archives of Surgery – American Medical Association

Published: Feb 1, 1966

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