The American journal of gastroenterology
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Am. J. Gastroenterol. · Dec 2008
ReviewClinical review of the management of fulminant clostridium difficile infection.
Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality among elderly hospitalized patients. A small but increasing number of patients have developed fulminant CDI, and a significant number of these patients require emergency colectomy. In this review, we discuss the risk factors, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of fulminant CDI. ⋯ Both the incidence and severity of CDI are increasing. Fulminant CDI is underappreciated as a life-threatening disease because of a lack of awareness of its severity and its nonspecific clinical syndrome. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential for a good outcome, and early surgical intervention should be used in patients who are unresponsive to medical therapy. The surgical procedure of choice is a total abdominal colectomy with end ileostomy, although the mortality rate remains high.