Atraumatic Clostridium septicum myonecrosis presenting as upper limb ischaemia in a patient with undiagnosed bowel cancer

Necrotising infections remain challenging to surgeons, both in diagnosis and management. Timely recognition and treatment remain vital. We report a presentation of limb ischaemia with no apparent precipitating factors, in a systemically stable patient, due to atraumatic myonecrosis. This article demonstrates the use of rapid cross-sectional imaging in finding an undiagnosed bowel cancer as a basis for this type of infection. Rapid cross-sectional imaging may be utilised where there is doubt about the underlying pathology of upper limb ischaemia. Patients whose cultures grow must be investigated for malignancy.