Necrotising fasciitis must be treated with antibiotics and debridement surgery. This must be provided shortly after the onset of symptoms, or serious complications will occur.
Treating necrotising fasciitis
Necrotising fasciitis can be successfully treated with the appropriate medical management.
A patient with necrotising fasciitis will require intravenous antibiotics as this will help the body fight the infection. However, the only way to fully rid the body of the necrotising fasciitis bacteria is to surgically remove all the tissue that has been infected. This is called debridement surgery.
It is essential that all of the affected tissue is excised or the bacteria will remain inside the body and will continue to reproduce. The infection will therefore continue to spread throughout the body.
If a large area of tissue has been infected, it must still be surgically removed. This can cause additional problems because cutting away a large amount of tissue will leave a significant defect and can limit function. This is especially true if the infection begins in a limb, as an amputation may be necessary.
Necrotising fasciitis – timing of treatment
The only way to prevent a large area of tissue from becoming infected is to provide timely treatment. There is no set timeframe for which treatment must be given. However, it is safe to say that necrotising fasciitis is an aggressive bacterial infection that spreads very quickly.
Within hours of the infection setting in, the tissue will begin to break down and shortly after it will die. Within days a large area of tissue can become necrotic. Once this has happened, the bacteria can spread to the bloodstream, resulting in sepsis and organ failure. This means that it can take just a matter of days for necrotising fasciitis to be fatal.
Delayed treatment of necrotising fasciitis
If the treatment of necrotising fasciitis is delayed, questions must be raised as to why treatment was not provided sooner. If medical error is to blame – perhaps, for example, because of a misdiagnosis – there may be grounds for a medical negligence compensation claim.
If you or your loved one has suffered complications because doctors failed to manage necrotising fasciitis to an acceptable standard, please get in touch with us today. You could be entitled to pursue a claim for compensation against the practitioner or organisation responsible.
Medical negligence claims must be made within three years of the incident occurring, so it is important not to hesitate when seeking professional legal advice.
Free, No Obligation Enquiry
Call us now on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Free Online Enquiry.
