An unnecessary femoral amputation?

Non-traumatic gas gangrene is extremely rare. It is commonly associated with perforation of an occult gastro-intestinal cancer. The patient's course is usually fulminant. We report a case of subcutaneous emphysema and myonecrosis of the lower extremity due to a perforated carcinoma of the large bowel. The diagnosis of colonic cancer was suspected but treatment was regrettably delayed leading to the perforation and subsequent lower extremity gas gangrene. The patient survived following a femoral amputation.