Toxic megacolon secondary to Clostridium difficile colitis. Case report.

The incidence and severity of Clostridium difficile colitis has markedly increased in recent years. The spectrum of Clostridium difficile infection ranges from asymptomatic colonization to fulminant colitis requiring immediate surgery. Medical therapy failure and the presence of toxic megacolon dictate urgent surgical treatment with unfortunate high mortality rates (35% to 57%). We broach herein a case of toxic megacolon secondary to colitis due to Clostridium difficile infection in which early diagnosis and prompt surgical treatment led to a successful outcome.