Journal of Pediatric Surgery Case Reports (Aug 2015)
Temsirolimus therapy and small bowel perforation in a pediatric patient with Clostridium septicum bacteremia
Abstract
Temsirolimus has been demonstrated to result in significant disease stabilization in children with high-grade glioma, neuroblastoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma. While mucositis has been reported as a common adverse effect of temsirolimus therapy in adult and pediatric patients, bowel perforation is an infrequent and life-threatening side effect of temsirolimus in adults and has not previously been reported in children. We present a child treated with temsirolimus for recurrent metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma who underwent ileocecectomy and small bowel resection for perforation with frank necrosis. His presentation was complicated by Clostridium septicum infection, a rare, frequently fatal, gastrointestinal pathogen associated with malignancy and bowel ischemia.
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