Necrotising fasciitis will cause the skin to change in appearance. Medical practitioners should note these changes and realise that they indicate a necrotising soft tissue infection.
A failure to recognise the signs and symptoms of necrotising fasciitis could amount to a substandard level of medical care. Contact us for more information.
Early symptoms
Necrotising fasciitis will begin with symptoms such as fever, pain at the site of infection and skin that is red and hot to touch. The patient will feel very unwell.
Normally there will not be any further skin changes at this point, other than the skin around the site of infection being red and hot to touch.
Cellulitic skin changes
The symptoms will then progress so that a patient’s skin changes in appearance. These can be referred to as ‘cellulitic skin changes’ as it can mimic the condition cellulitis. This can involve an area of redness that quickly spreads, much like a rash. The skin will be inflamed and painful.
At this stage necrotising fasciitis can be mistaken for a host of illnesses, all of which cause the skin to become red and inflamed. For instance, haematoma, bursitis, phlebitis, septic arthritis, cellulitis and deep vein thrombosis all have similar symptoms.
Severe skin changes
The appearance of the skin will quickly deteriorate. Within a short space of time there will be blisters on the skin (called bullae), crackling or popping of the skin (called crepitus) and skin that is purple/black in colour (indicating necrosis).
These symptoms indicate that the condition has entered into the latter stages. Skin that is black or purple in colour shows that it is necrotic, meaning it has died. Once this happens the tissue cannot recover and it will have to be surgically cut away. This will leave a gaping defect which can look unsightly and can seriously affect function.
Recognising necrotising fasciitis
To avoid these complications, medical professionals must be sure to recognise the early signs of necrotising fasciitis. Although the early signs are vague and mimic other conditions, the symptoms are indicative of some form of soft tissue infection. Steps should subsequently be made to confirm if this is accurate and, if so, what infection is present.
Should medical professionals fail to realise that a patient is suffering from necrotising fasciitis in a timely manner, the consequences could be devastating. If a patient is harmed because of a failure to diagnose, there could be grounds for a claim. Contact us to talk to a solicitor today.
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