Post-Traumatic Right Lumbar Abscess as First Manifestation of Perforated Right Colon Cancer – A Case Report

• Published in: Case reports in oncology Vol. 3; no. 1; pp. 40 - 44
• Main Authors: Rossetto, Anna, Cerato, Franz, Cedolini, Carla, Arena, Maria Concetta, Bresadola, Vittorio, Terrosu, Giovanni
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel, Switzerland S. Karger AG 23.02.2010; Karger Publishers
• Subjects: Abscess; Inferior lumbar triangle; Perforated colon carcinoma; Published: February 2010; Perforated colon carcinoma; Inferior lumbar triangle; Abscess
• ISSN: 1662-6575; 1662-6575
• DOI: 10.1159/000285986

Besides most common signs and symptoms suggesting a colic cancer, sometimes the clinical presentation can be difficult. Extra-abdominal abscess as a first sign of perforated colon carcinoma is a very unusual finding. We report a case of an old male patient, in bad general condition, with a post-traumatic finding of right lumbar abscess. After the percutaneous drainage with discharge of fecal material and a postponed explorative laparotomy, we discovered a perforated right colon carcinoma with a covered perforation affecting the duodenum wall and spreading to the hepatic bedand over to the back lumbar muscular wall. Because of the diffusion of the tumor, the patient was treated with palliative surgery with duodenum suture, right colon segment resection and subsequent ileocolic anastomosis with an uneventful postoperative course. The patient died 2 months later because of neoplastic cachexia.