Necrotizing soft tissue infection

OBJECTIVES: The destruction of red cells during blood collection or with the processing of the sample continues to occur at a high rate, especially among emergency department (ED) patients. This can produce pre-analytical laboratory errors, particularly for potassium. We determined the incidence of hemolyzed samples and discuss the potential medical impact for hypokalemic patients who potassium level is artificially normal (pseudoeukalemia). METHODS: Potassium results were obtained for a 6-month period...

Non-healing wounds profoundly impact patient quality of life and present a significant financial burden. The Kerecis™ fish skin xenograft is a decellularized skin matrix that has been introduced to treat complicated wounds. The objective of this presentation is to highlight the use of fish skin xenograft in the treatment of a complex right flank wound with stool contamination, necrotizing soft tissue infection due to perforated colon cancer, and sepsis. This presentation follows the wound healing for 28 days following the operation and demonstrates the efficacy of fish skin xenografts in improved wound healing...

INTRODUCTION: Noma is a polymicrobial necrotizing infection of the mouth and face which destroys the soft and hard tissues of the oral and paraoral structures. Malnutrition, poverty, lack of basic hygiene, and chronic disease state etc., possess a risk of developing noma. Noma neonatorum is a progressive gangrenous disease affecting the premature infants. AIM: We present a rare case of noma in an 18 months toddler with a chronic debilitating condition predisposing to the disease progression...

Fournier's gangrene, a rare and life-threatening soft tissue infection affecting the genitalia and perineum, results from various microorganisms. This rapidly progressing necrotizing fasciitis yields higher mortality and morbidity rates. We report a case of a 1-month-old male infant with Fournier's gangrene due to perforation transverse colon complicated with septic shock and pneumonia also accompanied by patent processus vaginalis. Radiological findings of pneumonia and pneumoperitoneum were exhibited. Early diagnosis and management are demanded to mitigate life-threatening and improve the prognosis...

Fournier's gangrene is characterized by an acute necrotic infection. The infection can occur in all parts of the body including the scrotum, penis, or perineum, and is a rare condition that is primarily reported in men and seldom in women. Existing literature suggests that it might be underreported, possibly leading to overlooked cases. Risk factors include diabetes, chronic illness, and trauma. This case involves a 52-year-old female with a 10-year medical history of diabetes mellitus, multiple healed skin lesions all over the body, and dermatitis...

BACKGROUND: Intravenous drug users (IDUs) have a high risk of developing skin and soft tissue infections such as erysipelas, abscesses, and less frequently necrotizing fasciitis (NF) or gas gangrene. Rarely, the cause of the infection is microorganisms residing in the oral cavity and can lead to life-threatening infections. METHODS: We describe the case of a 43-year-old man intravenous drug user (IDU) who was admitted for intense leg pain following an injection of cocaine at that site...

Necrotizing fasciitis is one of the most serious and deadly infections in surgery. The tissue defects that result after a severe infection with necrotizing fasciitis are often not easy to resolve surgically. The importance of this article is to show the reconstructive efficacy of the lotus petal flap based on two perforators. We present a 71-year-old female case with necrotizing fasciitis infection and defect of the region of the vulva (labia major) and perineum. We solved the reconstruction of the defect of the lower half of the labia major and the perineum, on the left side, by raising a fascio-cutaneous lotus petal flap along the gluteal fold, based on two perforators...

OBJECTIVES: Streptococcus pyogenes (group A Streptococcus [GAS]) is a prevalent cause of community-acquired bacterial infections, with invasive GAS (iGAS) infections presenting severe morbimortality. Clindamycin is generally used based on its antitoxin effect. This study investigates changes in iGAS incidence, clinical presentation, outcomes, and clindamycin resistance in an adult cohort. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of S. pyogenes episodes from a tertiary adult hospital in Barcelona (Spain) between 2015 and 2023...

PEDIATRIC NECROTIZING SOFT-TISSUE INFECTIONS. Necrotizing soft-tissue infections (NSTI) include necrotizing forms of fasciitis, myositis, and cellulitis. In children, these are extremely rare conditions with an estimated annual incidence of less than 0.1/100,000 patients aged 0-18 years in France. Nevertheless, the evolution can be very serious (6% mortality, higher than the mortality observed in paediatric intensive care units [PICU]), whereas the initial local symptoms are poor and can be falsely reassuring...

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a common type of skin cancer that can be treated through surgical excision using Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) which results in minimal scarring and low complications. Soft tissue defects as a result of MMS that are too large to be primarily closed can be repaired with secondary intention healing through the use of biologic prosthetics that promote dermal regeneration and tissue remodeling with high success rates. Other non-surgical treatment options include chemotherapy (topical or systemic), radiation, or immunotherapy for advanced skin cancers...

INTRODUCTION: The incidence, treatment, and outcomes of necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTIs) and associated racial disparities have been described in adults, but research in the pediatric population is limited. The purpose of this study is to provide a nationally representative characterization of pediatric NSTI and determine the presence of any racial disparities. METHODS: The National Inpatient Sample was analyzed from 2016 through 2020. Patients aged less than 20 y with a diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis, Fournier's gangrene, or gas gangrene (based on International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification codes) were included for analysis...

IMPORTANCE: Necrotizing soft tissue infection (NSTI) is a serious infectious disease. However, the early clinical manifestations and indicators of NSTI in children are still unclear. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the clinical characteristics and risk factors of NSTI in pediatric patients. METHODS: A total of 127 children with skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI) were treated at our hospital and divided into two groups: the NSTI group and the non-NSTI group, based on their discharge diagnosis from January 2011 to December 2022...

BACKGROUND: The role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTI) is mainly based on small retrospective studies. A previous study using the 1998-2009 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) found HBOT to be associated with decreased mortality in NSTI. Given the argument of advancements in critical care, we aimed to investigate the continued role of HBOT in NSTI. METHODS: The 2012-2020 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) was queried for NSTI admissions who received surgery...

Soft tissue infections are common, but can be difficult to diagnose and manage. In this article, the classification of soft tissue infections is discussed, as well as the diagnostic possibilities and treatment options. Furthermore, the management of recurrent infections and necrotizing soft tissue infections are discussed. The added value of compression therapy is reviewed in more detail.

OBJECTIVE: In patients undergoing plastic surgery, to identify specific risk factors for anaemia and use of blood products, and assess their impact on patient outcome. METHOD: For this retrospective study, data were analysed from patients who attended the Plastic Surgery Department at our hospital over a three-year period (2018 to 2020). Adult patients who presented with traumatic injuries, oncologic patients who underwent reconstructive procedures, and patients with soft tissue infections (STIs) who required plastic surgery for tissue coverage were included...

PURPOSE: Two cases are described of necrotizing Sweet syndrome (nSS), a rare variant of acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis that mimics necrotizing soft tissue infections. OBSERVATION: A 74-year-old female with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) presented with isolated periorbital nSS that closely mimicked necrotizing fasciitis (NF); she displayed pathergy to debridement, was exquisitely responsive to corticosteroids, and underwent successful first-stage reconstruction of the eyelid with full-thickness skin grafting...

Fournier's gangrene (FG) is an extremely rare necrotizing fasciitis that is insidious, rapidly spreading and life-threatening. FGs due to rectal cancer occur rarely and there is a lack of clinical reference. In the present study, a severe FG due to rectal cancer perforation was described and the features of this rare disease were summarized with a literature review. A 57-year-old man was admitted because of rectal cancer-induced FG. The patient was misdiagnosed with extensive perianal abscess until the intraoperative biopsy confirmed that rectal cancer was the culprit...

BACKGROUND: Necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTIs) are associated with significant mortality if not promptly diagnosed and surgically treated. AIM: This study aims to compare patients with severe skin and soft tissue infection treated with or without a surgical intervention and to identify risk factors that can predict the need for early surgery. METHODS: Demographics, clinical, laboratory, Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis (LRINEC) and imaging results were retrospectively collected...

Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infection can be challenging to differentiate from abscesses based on computed tomography imaging findings only, so it is crucial to perform surgical debridement as early as possible.

Extravasation injuries are uncommon, underreported, and often misdiagnosed in patients. The signs and symptoms of extravasation injuries vary from simple pain and tenderness to tissue necrosis and potentially fatal secondary infections. Extravasation may progress to more severe conditions such as necrotizing fasciitis (NF) or cellulitis, so special care is needed by physicians to identify and treat these injuries correctly. Here, we explore a case study on extravasation injuries mimicking NF leading to infectious complications and discuss the proper diagnosis and treatment of extravasation injuries as well as other NF-mimicking diseases...