A Case of Fournier's Gangrene cased by Perforation of Rectal Carcinoma

Abstract

Fournier's gangrene is usually caused by an anal fistula, abscess around the anus, or urological disease, but rarely by rectal cancer. We report such a case. A 56-year-old man seen for scrotal swelling and pain and urinary retention was found in pelvic CT to have dirty fat signs and air density in the urethra and scrotum and a tumor in the rectum. He underwent emergency surgery including abscess resection, drainage, and colostomy. Intraoperative biopsy of the rectal tumor showed a well-differentiated adenocarcinoma, resulting in a definitive diagnosis of Fournier's gangrene caused by rectal cancer penetration. Rectal cancer must thus be kept mind as a possible differential diagnosis in Fournier's gangrene.