Once diagnosed, necrotising fasciitis must be treated correctly or the infection will not be successfully cured.
Treating necrotising fasciitis
As soon as necrotising fasciitis is confirmed, medical practitioners must be quick to provide the correct course of medical treatment.
Time is of the essence because necrotising fasciitis is an aggressive bacterial infection that can spread rapidly, creating a large area of dead tissue within a matter of hours. To prevent any further complications – such as sepsis and extensive tissue necrosis – treatment must be provided shortly after the onset of symptoms.
Necrotising fasciitis must therefore be medically managed in the following way:
1. Patient resuscitated (if necessary) and admitted to appropriate ward
2. Intravenous broad-spectrum antibiotics administered
3. Patient taken to theatre for emergency surgical debridement for all dead tissue to be removed
4. Patient taken back to appropriate ward (often the Intensive Care Unit) and stabilised
5. Wound continually packed and dressed with sterile dressings
6. Further surgical exploration 24 to 48 hours later to check all infected tissue has been removed
7. Debridement surgery repeated as many times as is necessary to excise all non-viable tissue
8. Closure of the wound encouraged with good nutrition and vacuum assisted closure (VAC) therapy
9. Reconstructive surgery performed once the patient is stable
10. Continuing medical care for complications that have arisen as a result of necrotising fasciitis – for example, a colostomy if the colon, rectum or anus have been damaged
Failure to provide reasonable care
If medical practitioners fail to achieve the standard of care as set out above, there may be a breach of duty. This means that medical professionals have failed to provide a reasonable level of care. If this causes a patient to suffer harm that could have been avoided with an acceptable standard of care, there will be grounds for a medical negligence claim.
Any patient who has been wrongfully harmed because of medical negligence is legally entitled to pursue a medical negligence claim against the medical practitioner or organisation responsible. Alternatively if the patient has died because of the negligence, his/her family will be entitled to pursue a claim on behalf of their estate.
Contact us today
If you suspect the care you or your loved one received for necrotising fasciitis fell below an acceptable standard, please get in touch with us today. We specialise in necrotising fasciitis claims and will be able to suggest whether or not you have been the victim of medical negligence.
Free, No Obligation Enquiry
Call us now on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Free Online Enquiry.