Perineal necrotizing soft tissue infection secondary to rectal perforation from a large fish bone –a painful lesion not to be missed

Abstract

Necrotizing soft tissue infection caused by a large 70 mm fish bone that led to a single perforation of the rectum is an incredibly rare phenomenon. We report a case of an adult male in his 50s who presented with perianal pain. A prompt computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a foreign body had perforated through the rectum into the retrorectal space with associated gas locules, indicating a necrotizing infection. In addition, our case report explores the principles of wide exploration and debridement, the role of a defunctioning colostomy in perineal wound management, and principles of wound closure in the context of a foreign body causing significant perineal sepsis.

Keywords

• General surgery
• Foreign body
• Necrotizing fasciitis
• Cellulitis
• Perineum
• Abscess