Bruised Ankle Leads to Colectomy

It started with a simple ankle injury. A young man sought care for what seemed like a routine contusion, but his provider suspected cellulitis—and that’s where things took a disastrous turn. What followed was a cascade of missteps that ultimately led to a colectomy and a grueling seven-week hospital stay.

Where did things go wrong? Could this outcome have been prevented? In this episode, we dissect the key moments in his care, identify the red flags that were missed, and discuss how we can sharpen our clinical judgment to avoid similar outcomes in the future.

Don’t miss this gripping case study—because one misstep can change everything.