Benign muscular emphysema mimicking gas-forming infection

A 13-year-old boy presented 24 hours after noticing an insect bite on his left forearm (figure 1A). Perilesional erythema with a blister, crepitation and progressive pain started 12 hours before presentation. On admission, vital signs, inflammatory parameters, creatinine (kinase) and lactate were normal. Left arm and ventral hemithorax were swollen with crepitation, chest physical examination was inconspicuous. CT showed subfascial emphysema (figure 1B). Figure 1 (A) Insect bite with perilesional erythema on the left forearm. (B) Non-enhanced CT depicting gas …