If necrotising fasciitis is not treated quickly enough, a large amount of tissue will become infected. All of this will have to be surgically removed. This will necessitate further wound care and reconstruction after the operation.
Wound care and reconstruction
Necrotising fasciitis has a high mortality rate. If a patient does survive, there may be severe scarring and a gaping wound where the necrotic tissue has been surgically removed.
If so, the patient will require ongoing wound care and reconstruction. This will begin immediately after all the tissue has been debrided. Special devices can help with wound closure, such as a vacuum-assisted closure. The wound may also need to be regularly packed and re-dressed.
Subsequently a plastic surgery or burns centre may be involved to assist with the reconstruction of the wound. Further procedures may help to close the wound and improve aesthetic appearance, including skin grafts. This process can take months or even years.
Even when a patient is discharged from hospital, a District Nurse will often have to visit regularly to change the dressings.
Scarring after necrotising fasciitis
Although this treatment will close the wound and go so far to improve the appearance, most necrotising fasciitis survivors remain unhappy with the sight of their scar.
This can lead to terrible emotional damage for those concerned, as body image issues may arise. This can cause upset any time the patient sees their scar, bringing back painful memories of the time spent in hospital.
Additionally, the patient may not want anyone else to see their scar, including their partner. This can put immense strain on relationships. It can also hinder someone’s day-to-day life as activities such as swimming become impossible.
Improving appearance
There may be further steps that can be taken to improve the sight of the scar, such as more plastic surgery. However, this may have to be paid for privately, meaning it might be too expensive for some patients to consider.
Compensation claim
Nevertheless, if the patient is making a claim for their injuries, the cost of further treatment can be included within the compensation settlement.
It will be possible to make a claim if the necrotising fasciitis was not diagnosed and treated in a reasonable amount of time due to medical error. This makes the medical practitioners responsible for the patient’s injuries, as earlier treatment would have minimised the amount of tissue debrided.
Expert legal advice
To talk to solicitor about making a compensation claim for necrotising fasciitis, please get in touch with us today.
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