Necrotizing fasciitis is often called a rare condition, but exactly how rare is it? In this article we explore the incident rate of necrotising fasciitis in more detail.
How many people get necrotizing fasciitis?
Public Health England states that there are 500 new cases of necrotizing fasciitis in the UK each year. By way of comparison, the NHS estimates that half of women in the UK will have a urinary tract infection at some point in their lives. Therefore when compared to other types of infection, necrotizing fasciitis is indeed a rare condition.
Who gets necrotizing fasciitis?
Anyone can get necrotizing fasciitis. There is normally one thing that links all necrotizing fasciitis patients and that is a recent history of trauma. This is because the bacteria must get into the body for the infection to take hold, and normally this will be through a break in the skin. This can be a very small injury, such as a paper cut, or a very large one, such as a surgical wound.
There are also other factors that can increase the risk of necrotizing fasciitis, including: obesity, type II diabetes, weakened immune system and drug/alcohol abuse.
How many people die from necrotizing fasciitis?
The mortality rate of necrotizing fasciitis differs according to how quickly the condition is treated.
If treatment is provided in the early stages, the mortality rate is around 20%. The mortality rate dramatically increases the later treatment is given. If treatment is provided in the later stages when a patient has developed sepsis, the mortality rate is around 30% to 50%. If no treatment is provided, the patient will certainly die.
Delayed treatment of necrotizing fasciitis
If necrotizing fasciitis is not treated in the early stages, the standard of care must be examined. If the delay occurred due to other factors – for example, the patient did not seek help in time – then medical error will not be to blame.
However, there are often occasions when medical practitioners fail to diagnose the condition, significantly delaying treatment. If necrotizing fasciitis is not treated because of medical mistakes, there may be grounds for a compensation claim.
Expert legal advice
If you suffered serious complications because your necrotizing fasciitis was not treated in time, please get in touch with us today. Alternatively, if your loved one died because of a delay in treatment, we will advise whether you could make a claim on behalf of their estate.
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