Emphysematous hepatitis: A case report and review of literature

Abstract

Emphysematous hepatitis (EH) is a recently described gas forming liver infection, often associated with diabetes mellitus. It is often associated with poor prognosis, with rapidly fatal course in most reported cases. Its diagnosis is based on CT findings when an extensive gas replacing the liver parenchyma is present. We report the case of a 77-year-old woman with history of diabetes mellitus who presented in the emergency department with acute onset of cutaneomucous jaundice and fever, and in whom an abdominopelvic CT scan showed findings consistent with emphysematous hepatitis. EH is a rare condition with high mortality rate, however early diagnosis can be crucial in order to decrease mortality.