Necrotising fasciitis happens when a certain type of bacteria get into the body. The bacteria may enter through a large wound or a small cut.
How does necrotising fasciitis happen?
Necrotising fasciitis is an aggressive bacterial infection. It occurs when particular bacteria get into the body’s soft tissue. Most commonly necrotising fasciitis will be caused by the Group A Streptococcus bacteria.
We come into contact with bacteria all the time, so necrotising fasciitis can be picked up anywhere – both in and outside of a healthcare environment. However, for necrotising fasciitis to actually develop, the bacteria must be able to get into the body’s soft tissue. It will do this through a break in the skin, no matter how big or small.
Necrotising fasciitis and small cuts
For example, the bacteria may enter through a large, obvious wound such as a surgical incision. Alternatively, the bacteria may enter through a very small cut. This might include a scratch picked up in the garden, a paper cut suffered at work, a needle prick or any other type of wound in which the skin has been punctured.
Some patients with necrotising fasciitis are not even aware that they have sustained some form of trauma, as the cut is small miniscule that they had not noticed it.
Diagnosing necrotising fasciitis
When diagnosing necrotising fasciitis, it is useful to establish whether or not there has recently been some form of trauma to the skin. If there has and a patient is displaying the characteristic symptoms of a severe infection, no time should be wasted in sending samples to the lab for testing.
As mentioned above, some patients will not be aware that they have sustained an injury. Establishing a recent episode of trauma cannot, therefore, be solely relied upon. Instead medical practitioners must look at a patient’s symptoms in their entirety and realise that some sort of serious infection is present. This should be evident from the following signs:-
- Fever;
- An intense pain at the site of infection that is disproportionate to the injury, if an injury can even be identified;
- Red, hot skin at the site of infection. There will also be some discoloration in the later stages;
- Low blood pressure;
- A high white blood cell count (which will be detected from a blood test).
Failure to diagnose necrotising fasciitis
Unfortunately, however, medical practitioners do not always recognise the symptoms of necrotising fasciitis and make a misdiagnosis. This will be very troubling as necrotising fasciitis must be treated immediately if complications are to be avoided.
If you or your loved one has suffered because of a delayed diagnosis of necrotising fasciitis, you could be entitled to claim compensation. Contact us today to find out more.
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