Necrotising fasciitis is often mistaken for the more minor condition of cellulitis. This misdiagnosis can be extremely dangerous as necrotising fasciitis must be treated without delay if serious complications are to be avoided.
Misdiagnosis of necrotising fasciitis
Necrotising fasciitis is a rare but extremely serious type of bacterial infection. It happens when certain bacteria enter the body and reproduce, releasing a poisonous toxin as they do so. This causes the body’s deep tissue to break down and eventually die, which in medical terms is called becoming necrotic.
Cellulitis, on the other hand, is an infection of the skin and the tissues just below the surface of the skin. It is not as serious as necrotising fasciitis and can, in some cases, resolve without medical intervention. If the cellulitis is spreading then a short course of antibiotics will be needed.
However, the two have very similar symptoms in the initial stages. These symptoms include:-
- Skin that is red and hot to touch;
- Blisters on the skin;
- Fever.
Because of the similarities, medical professionals often diagnose cellulitis without even considering the more serious option of necrotising fasciitis. Nevertheless, there are other symptoms that doctors should watch out for, as these will differentiate the presence of necrotising fasciitis from cellulitis. These symptoms include:-
- Pain at the site of infection that is disproportionate to the injury, or has no known cause;
- Skin that turns dark red or purple/black in colour;
- Rapid deterioration in symptoms, with skin becoming necrotic very quickly and a severe fever.
Dangers of mistaking necrotising fasciitis for cellulitis
Despite the early warning signs of necrotising fasciitis, all too often medical professionals wrongly diagnose a patient with cellulitis and discharge him/her from their care. This will be very dangerous as without treatment the bacteria will continue to spread, creating more and more necrotic tissue. This will quickly result in a large open wound, and will of course make a patient extremely unwell. In some cases the infection will spread to the blood, causing organ failure and death.
Have you suffered from a wrong diagnosis?
If you have been diagnosed with cellulitis when in fact you had necrotising fasciitis, you should contact a solicitor to discuss your care. This is because in failing to make an accurate diagnosis, medical professionals will have caused a delay in the treatment of your condition, leading to further complications. This medical error will be to blame for your pain and suffering, for which you deserve to be compensated. Contact us today to find out more.
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