Clostridium difficile Infection Leading to Intestinal Pneumatosis in a Patient with a Recent Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer Local Recurrence: A Case Report and Literature Review.

• 发表时间: May-Aug 2021
• 来源期刊: Case Rep Oncol
• DOI: 10.1159/000513003
• PMID: 34413741
• 文章类型: Case Reports
• 作者列表: Uchiyama AAT,Lopes MSM,Vana MNM,Peixoto RD

关键词: Clostridium difficile; Intestinal pneumatosis,; Pancreatic cancer

Abstract

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) causing pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) is a rare event, described mostly in immunocompromised patients. We present the case of a 65-year-old female diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas who underwent a duodenopancreatectomy with lymphadenectomy and adjuvant gemcitabine and capecitabine. Four months after the end of chemotherapy, she experienced abdominal pain and intermittent diarrhea which became aggravated within 6 months. CT scans revealed diffuse intestinal pneumatosis and recurrence of ductal adenocarcinoma. We hypothesize that local pancreatic cancer recurrence may lead to gastrointestinal dysmotility with consequent increased risk for CDI. The patient had almost complete resolution of PI during the CDI treatment, thus we believe that the CDI was directly responsible for PI in this case.