A CASE OF GAS GANGRENE OF THE NECK

A case of gas gangrene of the neck is reported.A 69-year-old man complaining of sudden pain and swelling on the right side of the neck, dyspnea, and dysphagia was urgently admitted to the Second Department of Surgery, Tokushima University Hospital. Although the patient fell into a state of pre-DIC after admission, his life could be saved by drainage of the anterior region of neck performed four times, administration of antibiotics, heparin, synthetic protease inhibitor, and intravenous hyperalimentation.Recently incidence of gas gangrene has decreased, but gas gangrene is a serious problem even today because of its severe symptoms. Especially, if gas gangrene occurs in the neck, which is a rare site for gas gangrene, thorough therapy including management of alimentation and respiration is necessary, because gas gangrene of the neck can often cause dysphagia and dyspnea.