Necrotizing fasciitis can arise in any part of the body, including the face. This will be very distressing for the patient, as necrotizing fasciitis kills the skin and deep tissues, creating an unsightly deformity.
Necrotizing fasciitis tissue death
Necrotising fasciitis is a bacterial infection that kills the subcutaneous (deep) tissues and fascia (connective tissue). It is often dubbed the ‘flesh-eating disease’ because it looks as though the tissue is being eaten.
This is not actually true – the bacteria are not eating the flesh. What is happening is that the bacteria are releasing a toxin into the body while they reproduce. This makes the surrounding tissue break down, preventing the flow of blood.
Blood carries oxygen to the tissue and removes waste products. With the flow of blood restricted, the tissue will break down further until it becomes gangrenous and dies. Tissue death is known medically as ‘tissue necrosis’.
Tissue death in the face
For the infection to happen, the bacteria must penetrate the skin and get into the deep tissues. This means that necrotizing fasciitis can arise anywhere in the body – all it takes is a cut, graze, needle prick wound or other traumatic skin injury which will allow the bacteria to get inside the body.
If there is such an injury on the face and the bacteria get into the wound, the necrotizing fasciitis infection will develop. This will cause extreme pain at the site of infection. It will also make the skin red and ‘angry looking’. Within a short amount of time, the tissue will have visibly broken down, leaving an open wound surrounding by dead black flesh.
Necrotizing fasciitis face treatment
To prevent further tissue death, treatment must be given immediately. Broad-spectrum antibiotics should be administered and the patient taken to theatre for urgent debridement surgery.
Debridement surgery is when all dead and infected tissue is removed. This may sound unsuitable, particularly if the infection is in the face. Unfortunately it is the only way to treat necrotising fasciitis. However unsightly the outcome may be, all the dead tissue must be cut away.
As there is not much tissue surrounding the face, the surgeon may need the help of a plastic and reconstructive surgeon. Face grafts can help to minimise the deformity caused by debridement surgery, although it is possible that the patient will remain troubled by the appearance.
Quick treatment of necrotizing fasciitis
To prevent the spread of disease and limit the amount of tissue that ultimately must be removed, medical practitioners must be quick to diagnose and treat necrotising fasciitis. A failure to do so could result in a medical negligence claim. Contact us to find out more.
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