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This 67-year-old male with advanced colon cancer developed obstruction of the bowel and underwent palliative surgery to remove an 8-cm portion of colon containing the a bowel obstruction. During the surgery the patient had several episodes of hypotension. After and after surgery he did not regain consciousness and required ventilator support. Four days after surgery, later the patient developed a fever and his white blood cell count was found to be 15,256 cells/mm³. Thus, he was started on broad-spectrum antibioticsmm3. A chest x-ray demonstrated infiltrates in both lungs, which worsened over the next several days. His overall condition continued to deteriorate and he died 12 days after surgery. At autopsy, the lungs were markedly consolidated and had several focal abscesses that were 2 to 4 cm in diameter. Liquefied material poured out from these abscesses when the lungs were sliced.