Chronic Tetanus

An Interesting Case of Chronic Tetanus

Cranial nerve palsies in tetanus: cephalic tetanus.

Severe tetanus--in spite of tetanus toxoid.

A 66-year-old man sustained an injury to his right foot while gardening. Despite receiving tetanus toxoid one hour later and adequate wound toilet, he developed severe tetanus complicated with autonomic dysfunction six days later. He died 20 days after admission. This case shows that tetanus toxoid alone may not be sufficient to prevent tetanus in wounded patients. Careful consideration must be...

Postsurgical tetanus.

The incidence of tetanus declined dramatically in the 20th century owing to routine vaccination and prompt attention to wound care. Postsurgical tetanus is uncommon, with both exogenous and endogenous sources being responsible for disease. The majority of cases of postoperative tetanus have been observed after intra-abdominal surgery. Those at high risk for developing tetanus include immigrants...

Local Tetanus