Patients with haematological malignancy are especially at risk of developing necrotising fasciitis.
If doctors fail to realise that a patient with cancer is suffering from necrotising fasciitis, causing unnecessary injuries, there could be grounds for a compensation claim.
Haematological malignancy
Haematological is derived from the word ‘haematology’, which is a branch of medicine concerned with the blood. Malignancy is another way of saying a cancerous tumour. Therefore haematological malignancy is cancer of the blood.
The most common types of haematological malignancy are leukaemia and lymphoma.
Necrotising fasciitis and cancer
Necrotising fasciitis is a soft tissue infection. It can affect anyone of any age, including perfectly healthy people.
However, there are risk factors that increase the possibility of necrotising fasciitis. One risk factor is haematology malignancy – i.e. a cancer of the blood. Leukaemia patients are particularly vulnerable as their immune systems will be severely compromised.
Watching for early signs of necrotising fasciitis
Because patients with haematological malignancy have such weak immune systems, they are susceptible to infections. Medical practitioners must remain wary of this and look out for any signs of infection – including necrotising fasciitis.
The first signs of necrotising fasciitis are normally an area of skin that is red and hot to touch. This area will also be extremely painful. These symptoms provide an early indication that there is a soft tissue infection.
The infection will progress so that a patient develops an infection. The skin will also continue to change in appearance, becoming darker in colour, with an angry looking wound.
Advanced signs of necrotising fasciitis
Once the skin has become black and falls away, it denotes that the tissue has died. This is called tissue necrosis. By now the infection is well advanced and the patient will be seriously unwell.
It is possible that the bacteria will then spread to the bloodstream. This can cause an overwhelming response from the immune system, resulting in widespread clotting and inflammation. This is called a septic response and it is very dangerous as the blood pressure will drop and the organs will not receive the oxygen needed to function.
At this point necrotising fasciitis can lead to multi-system organ failure and death.
Preventing necrotising fasciitis complications
In order to avoid the life-ending complications associated with necrotising fasciitis, it is vital that medical practitioners recognise the early signs of necrotising fasciitis and provide the necessary treatment.
If doctors fail to realise that a cancer patient has developed necrotising fasciitis – something that is a known risk with certain cancers – there could be grounds for a claim. If you have been left with serious injuries or your prognosis has been affected because of a delayed necrotising fasciitis diagnosis, please get in touch with us today.
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