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PubMed1996

Mortality associated with cervicofacial necrotizing fasciitis.

Cervicofacial necrotizing fasciitis is a rare infection but still occurs and carries a mortality rate up to 60%. It is a polymicrobial infection that is characterized by diffuse necrosis of fascial planes and subcutaneous tissues. Diagnosing early stages of cervicofacial necrotizing fasciitis in relationship to other soft tissue infections of odontogenic origin is difficult and leads to less aggressive treatment with resulting increased morbidity and mortality. To prevent this significant mortality and morbidity associated with cervicofacial necrotizing fasciitis early presentation, recognition and treatment by health care provider is essential.

Candidiasis↗
PubMed2006

Cervicofacial necrotizing fasciitis.

Cervical necrotizing fasciitis is a fast spreading acute soft tissue inflammation. Death can occur within 12-24 h. Early identification and treatment is needed. We report the case of a 75 year old woman with diabetes and high cholesterol, adipositas who developed cervical necrotizing fasciitis of odotongenic origin with massive subcutaneous air collection and first sign of septicaemia. Surgical treatment with debridement and drainage in combination with intravenous broadbased antibiotics as well as daily irrigation of the wound with iodine solution (Betaisodona) and metronidazol (local antibiotic treatment) was performed. The patient recovered completely. Surgical debridement combined with broad-spectrum of antibiotics showed satisfying result for the management of cervical necrotizing fasciitis of dentogenous origin.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Peritonsillar abscess: an unlikely cause of necrotizing fasciitis.

Cervical necrotizing fasciitis is a devastating polymicrobial soft tissue infection characterized by gas formation and extensive necrosis of subcutaneous fat and fascia with extension to skin and muscle. Involvement of the head and neck is rare and is typically dental in origin. Despite broad-spectrum antibiotics, mortality rates for this disease remain high. We report a successfully treated case of necrotizing fasciitis arising from a peritonsillar abscess. Review of the literature reveals only 6 other cases, with 3 successful outcomes. Early diagnosis, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and aggressive surgical debridement are the cornerstones of therapy. The pathophysiology is typically a mixed aerobic and anaerobic infection. Supportive treatment options such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy and high-calorie supplemental nutrition may be of benefit. A comprehensive literature review of craniocervical necrotizing fasciitis is presented. Factors associated with poor outcomes include diabetes mellitus, mediastinitis, cardiovascular disease, and peritonsillar abscess.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Hyperbaric oxygen as adjuvant therapy in the management of necrotizing fasciitis.

BACKGROUND: Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is an uncommon but serious infection of fascia and skin associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. One modality proposed for improving the outcome of this condition is hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy. This is a form of medical treatment that involves intermittent inhalation of 100% oxygen under pressures exceeding the atmosphere. The aim of this article is to review current practice and evidence for the use of HBO as adjunctive therapy in the management of NF. METHODS: A survey of published English literature through searches of Medline and PubMed was carried out using the following key words: "necrotizing fasciitis," "Fournier's gangrene," "necrotizing soft tissue infections," "hyperbaric oxygen therapy," "and hyperbaric oxygen chambers." RESULTS: The results of studies on the use of HBO therapy in NF are inconsistent. Some studies have demonstrated that HBO can improve patient survival and decrease the number of debridements required to achieve wound control, whereas others have failed to show any beneficial effect. CONCLUSIONS: Encouraging results have been achieved with the addition of HBO therapy to standard treatment regimes, thus justifying further research in this field. More robust evidence by way of a prospective randomized trial is necessary before widespread and routine use of HBO in the management of NF can be recommended.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2006

A case study of negative pressure wound therapy to manage acute necrotizing fasciitis.

Acute necrotizing fasciitis is a devastating infectious process that requires immediate surgical debridement. Intravenous antibiotic treatment, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and wound management are considered the standard of care. Subsequent wound closure is achieved with split-thickness skin grafting, delayed surgical closure, or healing by secondary intention. When a patient refuses additional surgical treatment or is no longer a surgical candidate, as was the case with a patient who presented with acute necrotizing fasciitis caused by Clostridium perfringens in the upper extremity, secondary intention healing is the only treatment option. Following surgery and intravenous antibiotic treatment, her wounds were managed with topical negative pressure wound therapy. No adverse events occurred and the wounds were almost completely healed 63 weeks following surgery. Research to develop evidence-based protocols of care for the closure of these wounds is needed.

Debridement↗
PubMed2001

[Surgical concepts and results in necrotizing fasciitis].

INTRODUCTION: Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a rapidly progressive soft tissue infection involving primarily the superficial fascia and subcutaneous tissue. The disease is caused by Streptococcus pyogenes or synergistic infection of anaerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria. Further characteristics are severe, intolerable pain and a mortality of 30-50%. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From January 1996 to January 2000 12 patients underwent treatment for NF. The patients' charts were investigated retrospectively. RESULTS: In 7 patients the bacterial cultures showed a mixed, polymicrobial infection and in 5 cases only Streptococcus pyogenes. The NF was localized at the upper extremity (2), abdomen (3), back (1), hip (2) and lower extremity (4). The area involved was 8 (4-11)% of the total body surface. The surgical procedures in 12 patients were debridement (60x), local transposition flap (2), free muscle flaps (3), lower leg amputation (1) and split thickness skin graft (3x). Four patients developed streptococcal toxic shock syndrome and two died. In total there were four deaths with a mortality of 33%. In the "survivor group" the time to diagnosis was 2.8 (1-7) days, the time to radical surgery 3.3 (1-9) days. In the "mortality group" it was 6.8 (3-10) days or 9.3 (6-12) days. CONCLUSION: The prognosis of NF seems to be influenced by the site of the infection, because 4 out of 6 patients with NF of the abdomen, back or hip died, but all patients with NF of the extremities survived. The age of the patient is not a key parameter, because also young and previously healthy people also die from the streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. The interval between diagnosis and radical debridement appears to be the crucial factor in terms of prognosis, since early diagnosis and prompt, radical surgery improves the survival rate.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

The importance of serum creatine phosphokinase level in the early diagnosis and microbiological evaluation of necrotizing fasciitis.

BACKGROUND: Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) due to group A beta-haemolytic streptococci (GAS) is a rare but still life-threatening soft-tissue infection characterized by rapidly spreading necrosis of the muscle fascia and of the surrounding tissues. NF other than that due to GAS involves the participation of one or more anaerobes and/or of non-group A streptococci, Staphylococcus aureus, enteric organisms, and may be associated with a better outcome. Early diagnosis and treatment, consisting of surgical debridement along with appropriate antibiotic therapy, are required to reduce morbidity and mortality rates. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to analyse the clinical and laboratory findings of patients with GAS NF and with non-GAS NF, and to identify which characteristics could help to diagnose NF in the early stages of infection. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed the clinical and laboratory findings of 43 cases of GAS and non-GAS NF that occurred in Belgium (n = 32) and at Saga Medical School (Japan) (n = 11) between May 1984 and December 2001. RESULTS: GAS NF more frequently occurred in previously healthy individuals than NF due to other pathogens (P < 0.05) but was associated with a poorer prognosis. Both for patients with GAS NF and with non-GAS NF, the first clinical manifestations often suggested a diagnosis of erysipelas or cellulitis and rarely evoked the correct diagnosis (12% and 15% of the cases, respectively). However, we found that creatine phosphokinase (CPK) values were far higher in patients with GAS NF than in those with non-GAS NF. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that GAS may exert particular tropism and/or toxicity for muscle, responsible for early muscle necrosis. This indicates that elevated levels of CPK in a patient with erysipelas or cellulitis-like symptoms should clearly prompt the clinician to exclude the diagnosis of GAS NF.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Cervical necrotizing fasciitis.

Cervical necrotizing fasciitis (CNF) is an aggressive infection of the head and neck with high complication and mortality rates. Sixty-eight cases of CNF have been reported in the English-language literature. We present a series of 8 patients with CNF, including 5 men and 3 women ranging in age from 25 to 92 years. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the largest case series reported. Six of the 8 patients had a predisposing odontogenic focus of infection. Four patients had mediastinal involvement. Two patients, both with significant comorbidity at the time of presentation, died of CNF.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Cervical necrotizing fasciitis].

Cervical necrotizing fasciitis is a rapidly progressive infection that involves the superficial and deep cervical fascia. Underestimation of this severe neck infection can delay diagnosis and treatment of this often fatal disease process. Three new cases, all with mediastinitis and fatal outcome are presented. Early diagnosis, aggressive surgical treatment and antibiotic therapy is essential if the high mortality rate is to be brought down in the future.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Necrotizing fasciitis: a classification of necrotizing soft tissue infections.

Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare, often fatal soft tissue infection. It still remains a confusing entity because of the nomenclature and multiple subtypes described in the past. An interesting case study of a patient with necrotizing fasciitis secondary to nonclostridial gas gangrene is presented. A comprehensive review of necrotizing fasciitis, its disease process and treatment modalities will be discussed.

Bacteria, Anaerobic↗
PubMed2005

A case of necrotizing fasciitis caused by coagulase-negative staphylococcus: utility of magnetic resonance imaging for the preoperative diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis.

A 70-year-old woman presented with fever and pain in the right lower extremity. Fat-suppressed gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed contrast-enhanced fascia, fluid accumulation, and hypointense signals in the muscles. Surgical interventions including incisions and insertion of drainage tubes were performed on the basis of the MRI findings. The histopathological examinations of surgically obtained biopsy specimens demonstrated suppurative fasciitis, widespread myonecrosis, and thromboses of the vessels, all of which were compatible with a diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis. The bacterial cultures were positive for a coagulase-negative staphylococcus. Following the surgical interventions, the patient was successfully treated by aggressive antimicrobial therapy. MRI can thus be useful for differentiating necrotizing fasciitis from nonnecrotizing soft tissue infection and for planning the treatment of necrotizing fasciitis.

Anti-Infective Agents↗
PubMed2003

Necrotizing fasciitis with chickenpox.

Necrotizing fasciitis can be observed in a wide variety of clinical settings in the pediatric age group. But necrotizing fasciitis as a complication of chickenpox is rare. Five cases of necrotizing fasciitis following chickenpox were treated in the authors' institutions. Clinical signs like fever, tachycardia, pallor, erythema, marked edema of the affected area and patchy areas of discoloration or gangrene of the skin were present and were the important clues to the seriousness of infection. Patients were treated with aggressive surgical debridement, frequent dressings, broad-spectrum antibiotics, nutritional support, and split skin grafting. Early diagnosis and aggressive surgical therapy are critical. Literature search showed necrotizing fasciitis following chickenpox has not been reported in India. We feel early suspicion and aggressive management can decrease the morbidity and mortality in this rare complication.

Chickenpox↗
PubMed1984

Craniocervical necrotizing fasciitis.

Craniocervical necrotizing fasciitis (CCNF) is a severe, progressive bacterial infection of the cervical fascia. The most significant manifestations of this disease are extensive fascial necrosis with widespread undermining of the surrounding tissues and extreme systemic toxicity. We are adding three cases to the 29 previously reported cases of CCNF. We will discuss the regional anatomy, focusing on the relationship of the cervical fascial planes to vital structures. Available data suggest that CCNF is a synergistic infection produced in most instances by a combination of facultative anaerobic and obligate anaerobic organisms. Although antimicrobial therapy should provide broad-spectrum activity against mixed flora, treatment also includes aggressive excision and debridement of involved fascia, subcutaneous tissue, and necrotic skin.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis in children.

Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare but progressive soft tissue infection. This condition is difficult to recognize in the early phase, when it is often confused with cellulitis. We report the cases of four children with necrotizing fasciitis. The initial presentation in these cases was cellulitis. Fever and soft tissue swelling occurred within 24 h and spreading erythema within 4 to 12 h. Radiologic studies of the lesions showed soft tissue thickening. Ultrasonography of the lesions demonstrated distorted, thickened fascia with fluid accumulation. Well-defined, loculated abscesses were demonstrated in two cases. Although typical dusky skin and purplish patches were not found in our cases, necrotizing fasciitis was strongly suspected on the basis of the clinical course and sonographic findings. Ultrasonography also was used as a guide for aspiration of pus. Gram-stained smears and bacterial cultures yielded the pathogens. The choice of antibiotic therapy was made on the results of smears and culture. All patients survived after immediate surgical debridement, intensive antibiotic therapy, and aggressive wound care. In conclusion, ultrasonography provides a rapid and valuable diagnostic modality for necrotizing fasciitis. The pus obtained through sonographically guided aspiration for bacterial culture can allow identification of the pathogenic organisms.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Craniocervical necrotizing fasciitis.

Craniocervical necrotizing fasciitis is a serious, life-threatening infection affecting fascial planes within the head and neck. Frequently the result of odontogenic origin, these polymicrobial infections, often involving group A beta hemolytic streptococcus acting in synergy with an anaerobe, can spread rapidly, causing significant morbidity and mortality, and must be diagnosed as early as possible. Treatment consists primarily of appropriate intravenous antibiotics and aggressive surgical debridement.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2004

[Necrotizing fasciitis: our experience].

Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare and dramatic soft-tissue; infection starting from the subcutaneous tissue, involving the fascia and the underlying muscle and causes necrosis and, suddenly, gangrene. Most frequently the necrotizing fasciitis is localized in anorectal or genitourinary region and in traumatized muscles. Its mortality rate is 20%. Predisposing factors for these infections have included advanced age, obesity, hypertension, atherosclerosis, malnutrition, renal failure, immunosuppression and, primarily, diabetes mellitus. The infection is caused by a lot of gram +, gram -, and anaerobic bacteria that act synergistically. The early diagnosis, a correct chemotherapy, an aggressive surgical treatment of the necrotic area and hyperbaric oxygen treatment allow the patient's recovery, dramatically reducing the functional consequences. The Authors analyze retrospectively five cases of necrotizing fasciitis observed in the last two years (August 2001-August 2003) and stress clinical findings and surgical treatment.

Fasciitis, Necrotizing↗
PubMed1995

Necrotizing fasciitis in childhood.

Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare entity in the pediatric population. Five cases of this soft tissue infection were treated at the authors' institution between January and December 1993. Three of the children were profoundly neutropenic secondary to chemotherapy. All five were treated with aggressive surgical debridement, frequent dressing changes, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and nutritional support. In addition, the patients with neutropenia received a combination of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor and granulocyte transfusions. One child died of overwhelming sepsis and bone marrow graft failure. The others eventually made a complete recovery. Necrotizing fasciitis may be becoming a more common problem in children. Aggressive chemotherapeutic regimens and more frequent use of bone marrow transplantation could be a factor in this. Early diagnosis and aggressive surgical therapy is critical. However, mortality may be significant, especially in patients with neutropenia. Leukocyte response to the infection may be a prognostic marker. Pseudomonas and enteric gram-negative organisms are seen frequently in immunocompromised children with necrotizing fasciitis. Antimicrobial selection should supply adequate coverage of these organisms.

Adolescent↗