An uncommon cause of intra-abdominal sepsis: A case report

Kosar Abouhamzeh; Faeze Salahshour; Mahdi Zangi; Somayeh Mirbagheri; Mohammad Eftekhari

doi:10.18502/crcp.v8i6.16236

Kosar Abouhamzeh Students’ Scientific Research Center (SSRC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Faeze Salahshour MD, Department of Radiology, Advanced Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Research Centre (ADIR), IKHC, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mahdi Zangi MD.MPH, PhD Candidate, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Somayeh Mirbagheri MD, Emergency medicine resident, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mohammad Eftekhari MD, Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine Department, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/crcp.v8i6.16236

Keywords: Intra-Abdominal Infections; Hepatic Hydatid Cyst; Case Report

Abstract

The abdomen is the second most common site for sepsis. This potentially lifethreatening condition necessitates finding the source and providing prompt medical and/or surgical treatment. This presentation reveals an uncommon cause of intraabdominal sepsis. A 43-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain, tachycardia, tachypnea, and generalized abdominal tenderness. The evaluation of the laboratory tests showed an elevation in white blood cell count and liver enzymes. Ultrasonography of the liver revealed the presence of hydatid cysts, and the abdominopelvic computed tomography scan with contrast displayed multiple pyogenic cysts in her liver, one of which had ruptured into the peritoneum. She underwent surgery, received antimicrobial agents, and was successfully discharged without experiencing any complications. One clinical presentation of a hepatic hydatid cyst could be intra-abdominal sepsis, which requires emergency surgery along with antibiotic and anti-helminthic drugs.