Phlegmonous Colitis: Infectious Entity in Cirrhosis

Phlegmonous colitis is a rare source of infection; the main predisposing factor identified is cirrhosis. Herein, we describe a case of a 36-year-old female with abdominal pain and septic shock, with a thickened ascending colon by tomography; a fulminant pseudomembranous colitis vs. intestinal vasculitis was suspected. A right hemi colectomy was performed; the patient died hours after surgery. Pathology analysis diagnosed phlegmonous colitis, which is the gold standard for the diagnosis. A computed tomography is an important tool in the diagnostic approach to rule out other infectious sources. In most cases, phlegmonous colitis is a fulminant infection.