Necrotising fasciitis is often dubbed ‘the flesh-eating disease’. But do the bacteria actually eat the flesh?
The flesh eating disease
Necrotising fasciitis is a bacterial infection. It happens when certain types of bacteria get into the body’s soft tissues via a break in the skin. The bacteria can be picked up anywhere by anyone who has sustained a break in the skin. This may simply be a tiny cut picked up while doing the gardening, or it may be a large surgical wound.
Once inside the body’s soft tissues, the bacteria reproduce very rapidly. As they do so, they release a toxin into the body that causes the surrounding tissue to break down. This disrupts the blood supply, leading to the build-up of waste products and a deficiency in oxygen. Within a short space of time, the tissue will be so deficient in oxygen that it breaks down even further, becoming gangrenous and ultimately necrotic (dead).
Therefore the bacteria do not actually eat the flesh. Rather, the toxins released by the bacteria causes the tissue to break down and die.
Why is it called the flesh eating disease?
It is called the flesh eating disease because that it exactly what is looks like when necrotising fasciitis takes hold. Once the tissue begins to break down, it will quickly deteriorate, turning from dark red to purple/black in colour. An open wound will subsequently develop.
As the bacteria continue to reproduce, they will spread further along the body, creating more and more necrotic tissue as they go. The open wound will grow in size, making it appear as though the flesh is being eaten.
Recovering from the flesh eating disease
The larger the area of necrotic tissue, the more critical a patient’s condition will become. Not only will there be a large area of dead tissue and an open wound, it is possible that the bacteria will spread to the blood. If so, a patient will go into septic shock, something which can be fatal.
Because of these possible complications, it is essential that necrotising fasciitis is treated in the early stages, before too much tissue has died. Any delay and the results could be devastating.
Failing to treat necrotising fasciitis
If medical practitioners fail to treat necrotising fasciitis in time, there could be grounds for a medical negligence compensation claim. Contact us today to find out more about necrotising fasciitis claims.
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