Necrotising fasciitis is an infection. And yet its victims – those who survive – will leave hospital scarred and physically damaged by surgery. Why is this necessary?
Surgery for necrotising fasciitis
The short answer to the above question is ‘yes, surgery is necessary for patients with necrotising fasciitis’. This may involve a small amount of skin and tissue removal or it may be as extensive as the amputation of an entire limb.
Why is surgery necessary?
Necrotising fasciitis is a virulent, potentially-fatal and fast-moving infection which attacks the subcutaneous tissue.
Its effect is to destroy the tissue if infects and spread to surrounding tissue. Ultimately, if left untreated, it will impact on the major organs which will then cease to function, causing the patient to die.
To prevent this happening, and to halt the spread of the infection, all affected tissue must be surgically removed from the patient. This process is called debridement. The greater the area of infection, the greater the extent of debridement necessary. The alternative is the death of the patient.
The circumstances of debridement
There are two vital aspects to debridement for necrotising fasciitis:
- Debridement must take place as soon as possible after diagnosis of the condition. If debridement is delayed, the patient will require more extensive surgery and may die if the infection has developed too far before intervention
- Debridement must be comprehensive, removing all affected tissue. If debridement is insufficient, the patient will need to undergo further procedures until all damaged tissue is removed. The infection will continue to spread in the meantime
Diagnosis of necrotising fasciitis
Given the nature of both the infection and its treatment as described above, it can be seen that diagnosis at as early a stage of the illness as possible is absolutely vital to the long-term health of the patient.
A delay in diagnosis means a delay in treatment.
Although it can be confused with other conditions, the early symptoms of necrotising fasciitis are often intense, disproportionate pain and swelling in the region of a cut or wound, along with signs of infection such as a high temperature and a fast heartbeat.
If there is any possibility that the patient may be developing necrotising fasciitis, a medical practitioner should ensure that further investigation is carried out immediately.
Medical Negligence
Where the early symptoms of necrotising fasciitis are ignored or misdiagnosed, allowing the patient to suffer the horrific, long-term effects of this debilitating illness, the medical practitioner in question may be considered to have provided a substandard level of care.
If this has been the experience of you or a loved one, you may wish to consider making a claim for compensation.
Contact us to discuss your situation with an experienced, specialist medical negligence solicitor.
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