[Surgical treatment of toxic megacolon complicating pseudomembranous colitis. Apropos of a case, review of the literature].

Toxic megacolon complicating pseudomembranous colitis has been rarely observed. Only 36 cases have been previously reported. We present herein a new case report in which pseudomembranous colitis was secondary to prophylactic antibiotherapy with pefloxacin for hip prosthesis. Despite specific oral treatment (against Clostridium difficile) by vancomycin, toxic megacolon required urgent subtotal colectomy with ileostomy and sigmoidostomy. Postoperative course was uneventful. Analysis of the reported cases demonstrates the high overall mortality of the series (32%); the procedure of choice seems to be subtotal colectomy, which removes the septic focus, with a 12% operative mortality rate.