Necrotizing fasciitis is often described as being a ‘rare’ condition. But exactly how many cases are there in the UK every year?
In this article we explore the incidence rate of necrotizing fasciitis in more detail, explaining how often the condition occurs in this country.
UK cases of necrotising fasciitis
According to both Public Health England and a leading medical website, there are 500 new cases of necrotizing fasciitis in the UK every year. It is estimated that doctors in the UK will encounter just one case of necrotizing fasciitis during the course of their careers. Many will not treat a patient with necrotizing fasciitis first-hand.
Necrotizing fasciitis deaths UK
When compared to common bacterial infections such as tonsillitis and UTIs, necrotizing fasciitis is a rare type of infection. Nonetheless, it has a disproportionately high mortality rate.
There are varying statistics with regards to necrotizing fasciitis mortality rates. However, research suggests that the death rate is around 25%, meaning one quarter of people who get the condition will not survive.
Why do people die from necrotizing fasciitis?
People die from necrotizing fasciitis because it is a fast-moving infection that can quickly spread to the blood.
The infection starts in the soft tissue after bacteria enter the body via a cut or opening in the skin. The bacteria multiply, the process of which causes a toxic chemical to be released. The surrounding tissue is damaged and breaks down, leading to a deficiency in oxygen. The tissue then becomes gangrenous and dies.
More tissue will be infected and die the longer the bacteria remain in the body. It will not take long for the spread of infection to be so extensive that the bacteria reach the bloodstream. A blood infection is also called sepsis.
Sepsis and necrotizing fasciitis
Sepsis is a very dangerous condition as it causes inflammation and clotting across the body. Because of this, the blood will not be able to get to the organs. The organs will begin to shut down, with multi-system organ failure being a real possibility.
As mentioned above, approximately 25% of patients will not recover from these necrotizing fasciitis complications. In some cases this is because the infection was just too aggressive and medical help could not be obtained in time. But in some cases it is because doctors failed to diagnose and treat the condition quickly enough.
If medical error is to blame for a necrotizing fasciitis death, there could be grounds for a compensation claim. Contact us today to find out more.
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