OBJECTIVE: To explore clinical efficacy of tibial transverse transport (TTT) combined with debridement in treating necrotizing fasciitis of the lower extremities. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 31 patients with necrotizing fasciitis of the lower extremities who were treated with TTT from January 2021 to October 2023, including 28 males and 3 females, aged from 44 to 76 years old with an average of (57.58±8.79) years old. In-hospital mortality rate, amputation rate, length of hospital stay, hospitalization cost, number of surgeries, and inflammatory indicators before and after operation (white blood cells, hemoglobin, C-reactive protein, albumin), as well as wound healing and daily living ability were observed and compared. RESULTS: All 31 patients were followed up for 3 to 12 months with an average of (6.61±2.46) months. All patients' wounds healed without recurrence. The wound healing time was (4.96±2.61) months, amputation rate of 31 patients was 3.22% (1/31), in-hospital mortality rate was 0%, the length of hospital stay was (27.10±24.51) days, the hospitalization cost was (107, 300 ± 83, 300) yuan, and the number of surgeries was (3.26±1.93) times. White blood cells, C-reactive protein and albumin before operation were (13.41±5.54) ×10⁹/L, (136.67±73.50) mg·L^-1 and (25.92±5.59) g·L^-11 respectively, and improved to (11.05±3.65) ×10⁹/L, (79.91±51.40) mg·L^-1, and (30.31±4.02) g·L^-1 at 2 weeks after operation, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05);there was no statistically significant difference in hemoglobin before and after operation (P>0.05). At the latest follow-up, 16 patients were able to take care of themselves, 12 patients were partially self-sufficient, and 3 patients were completely unable to take care of themselves. CONCLUSION TTT with debridement could achieve satisfactory clinical efficacy in treating necrotizing fasciitis of the lower extremities.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Adult ; Fasciitis, Necrotizing/mortality* ; Retrospective Studies ; Debridement ; Lower Extremity/surgery* ; Tibia/surgery*

necrotizing fasciitis is a terrifying infectious disease that can rapidly spreads to surrounding tissues when fascia is infected and it can cause sepsis to death if not properly diagnosed and treated. The purpose of this study is to investigate the characteristics, causes, and treatment methods of necrotizing fasciitis in Korea through reviewing patients admitted to our burn center.METHODS: 21 patients with necrotizing fasciitis were selected for this study among those inpatients with electronic medical records (EMR) admitted to Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart Medical Center from Jan 1, 2008 to June 30, 2019. The medical records and wound photos of those 21 selected subjects were reviewed.RESULTS: There were 13 male and 8 female patients and mean age was 58.76 years old. 13 of 21 subjects were survived and 8 died (38% mortality rate). The surgical treatments performed were I&D, fasciotomy, debridement, allograft, burring, STSG, flap, and amputation. The most common causes were burns in 9 subjects (6 contact burns) and cellulitis occurred on skins in 5 subjects. And other various causes were observed as fournier's gangrene, stab wound, intramuscular injection, tumor and bleu toe syndrome (toe necrosis). The infected areas were 11 feet and legs, 7 hips, 3 abdomen and trunk in 21 subjects. Of the 8 deaths, 3 were infected in feet and legs, 2 were infected in hips, and 2 were infected in abdomen and trunk. As for underlying diseases, 12 patients with hypertension or diabetes were the highest and others such as cancer and stroke were found.CONCLUSION: The only method to increase the survival rate is to ‘suspect’ the disease as much as possible and perform early extensive excision. It is advisable to treat the disease by the burn center to properly provide adequate and optimal wound management, infection control, medical care and nutritional supports.]]>
Abdomen ; Allografts ; Amputation ; Burn Units ; Burns ; Cellulitis ; Communicable Diseases ; Debridement ; Electronic Health Records ; Fascia ; Fasciitis, Necrotizing ; Female ; Foot ; Fournier Gangrene ; Heart ; Hip ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Infection Control ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Inpatients ; Korea ; Leg ; Male ; Medical Records ; Methods ; Mortality ; Nutritional Support ; Sepsis ; Skin ; Stroke ; Survival Rate ; Toes ; Wounds and Injuries ; Wounds, Stab

Necrotizing fasciitis is a significant factor of morbidity and mortality due to its sudden onset and rapid spread. It is accompanied by systemic toxicity and often fatal unless promptly recognized and aggressively treated. We reported a patient who presented symptoms confused with disc herniation and delayed initial diagnosis. The patient was treated for chronic low back pain. The origin of the pain was a foreign body-induced intra-abdominal infection that invaded the back muscles and eventually progressed to necrotizing fasciitis.
Back Muscles ; Diagnosis ; Fasciitis, Necrotizing* ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Intraabdominal Infections ; Low Back Pain* ; Mortality

PURPOSE: We present our experience involving the management of this disease, identifying prognostic factors affecting treatment outcomes. METHODS: The patients treated for Fournier gangrene at our institution were retrospectively reviewed. Data collected included demographics, extent of soft tissue necrosis, predisposing factors, etiological factors, laboratory values, and treatment outcomes. The severity index and score were calculated. Multivariate regression analysis was used to determine the association between potential predictors and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 41 patients (male:female = 33:8) were studied. The mean age was 54.4 years (range, 24–79 years). The most common predisposing factor was diabetes mellitus (n = 19, 46.3%). Sixteen patients (39.0%) were current smokers. Seven patients had chronic kidney disease. The most frequent etiology was urogenital lesion (41.5%). The mortality rate was 22.0% (n = 9). Multivariate regression analyses showed that extension of necrosis beyond perineal/inguinal area and pre-existing chronic kidney disease were significant and independent predictors of mortality. Extension of necrosis beyond perineal/inguinal area was a significant predictor of increased duration in the intensive care unit and hospital stay. In addition, pre-existing chronic kidney disease was a significant predictor of flap reconstruction in the wound. CONCLUSION: Fournier gangrene with extensive soft tissue necrosis and pre-existing chronic kidney disease was associated with poor prognosis and complexity of patient management. Early recognition of dissemination and premorbid renal function is essential to reduce mortality and establish a management plan for this disease.
Causality ; Demography ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Fasciitis, Necrotizing ; Fournier Gangrene* ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Length of Stay ; Mortality ; Necrosis ; Prognosis ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Retrospective Studies ; Wounds and Injuries

Puerperal sepsis is one of the leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Postpartum pelvic infections can cause various complications, including wound infections and necrotizing fasciitis. Several microorganisms are known to cause such infections; however, no study has reported on Staphylococcus caprae, a coagulase-negative staphylococcus that is isolated frequently from animals and infrequently from human specimens, as a causative agent. Here, we report a rare case of septic shock complicated by necrotizing fasciitis after a cesarean section. This is the first report of a human isolate of S. caprae in association with puerperal sepsis and necrotizing fasciitis.
Animals ; Cesarean Section ; Escherichia coli ; Escherichia ; Fasciitis, Necrotizing ; Female ; Goats ; Humans ; Mortality ; Pelvic Infection ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy ; Puerperal Infection ; Sepsis ; Shock, Septic ; Staphylococcus ; Wound Infection

Infections of the vulva can present a complex differential to the gynecologist, ranging from superficial skin infections to lifethreatening necrotizing fasciitis. Recognition and timely treatment remain universal to skin and soft-tissue infections as the subcutaneous anatomy of the vulva can facilitate rapid spread to other tissues with significant morbidity and mortality. Employing a multidisciplinary team approach to care for vulvar cellulitis and abscess can guide treatment from antibiotic therapies to more aggressive surgical debridement. In this report, we describe a case of vulvar abscess caused by Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a postmenopausal woman with underlying diseases of bronchiectasis and atelectasis.
Abscess* ; Bronchiectasis ; Cellulitis ; Debridement ; Fasciitis, Necrotizing ; Female ; Humans ; Methicillin Resistance* ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus* ; Mortality ; Postmenopause ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Skin ; Vulva

PURPOSE: Necrotizing soft tissue infection is the infection of the soft tissue with necrotic changes. It is rare, but results in high mortality. We analyzed the characteristics of patients, prognosis, and mortality factors after reviewing 30 cases of a single hospital for 5 years. METHODS: From January 2009 to December 2013, 30 patients diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis or Fournier's gangrene in Pusan National University Hospital were enrolled for this study. The following parameters were analyzed retrospectively: demographics, infection site, initial laboratory finding, initial antibiotics, isolated microorganisms, number of surgeries, time to first operation, length of intensive care unit, and total hospital stays. RESULTS: The overall mortality rate was 23.3%. Mean body mass index (BMI) of the survival group (24.7 ± 5.0 kg/m2) was significantly higher than the nonsurvival group (22.0 ± 1.4 kg/m2, P = 0.029). When BMI was less than 23 kg/m2, the mortality rate was significantly higher (P = 0.025). Two patients (6.7%) with chronic kidney disease requiring hemodialysis died (P = 0.048). Initial WBC count (>13×103/µL), CRP (>26.5 mg/dL), and platelet (PLT) count (<148×103/µL) were found to have negative impact on the prognosis of necrotizing soft tissue infection. Factors such as potassium level, blood urea nitrogen (>27.6 mg/dL), serum creatinine (>1.2 mg/dL) that reflected kidney function were significant mortality factors. CONCLUSION: Patients with low BMI or abnormal values of WBC count, CRP, and PLT count reflecting the degree of infection or abnormal renal function will need more intensive care.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Blood Platelets ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Body Mass Index ; Busan ; Creatinine ; Critical Care ; Demography ; Fasciitis, Necrotizing ; Fournier Gangrene ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Kidney ; Length of Stay ; Mortality* ; Potassium ; Prognosis ; Renal Dialysis ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Retrospective Studies ; Soft Tissue Infections*

PURPOSE: Necrotizing soft tissue infection is the infection of the soft tissue with necrotic changes. It is rare, but results in high mortality. We analyzed the characteristics of patients, prognosis, and mortality factors after reviewing 30 cases of a single hospital for 5 years. METHODS: From January 2009 to December 2013, 30 patients diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis or Fournier's gangrene in Pusan National University Hospital were enrolled for this study. The following parameters were analyzed retrospectively: demographics, infection site, initial laboratory finding, initial antibiotics, isolated microorganisms, number of surgeries, time to first operation, length of intensive care unit, and total hospital stays. RESULTS: The overall mortality rate was 23.3%. Mean body mass index (BMI) of the survival group (24.7 ± 5.0 kg/m2) was significantly higher than the nonsurvival group (22.0 ± 1.4 kg/m2, P = 0.029). When BMI was less than 23 kg/m2, the mortality rate was significantly higher (P = 0.025). Two patients (6.7%) with chronic kidney disease requiring hemodialysis died (P = 0.048). Initial WBC count (>13×103/µL), CRP (>26.5 mg/dL), and platelet (PLT) count (<148×103/µL) were found to have negative impact on the prognosis of necrotizing soft tissue infection. Factors such as potassium level, blood urea nitrogen (>27.6 mg/dL), serum creatinine (>1.2 mg/dL) that reflected kidney function were significant mortality factors. CONCLUSION: Patients with low BMI or abnormal values of WBC count, CRP, and PLT count reflecting the degree of infection or abnormal renal function will need more intensive care.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Blood Platelets ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Body Mass Index ; Busan ; Creatinine ; Critical Care ; Demography ; Fasciitis, Necrotizing ; Fournier Gangrene ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Kidney ; Length of Stay ; Mortality* ; Potassium ; Prognosis ; Renal Dialysis ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Retrospective Studies ; Soft Tissue Infections*

Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is an infection that spreads along the fascial planes, causing subcutaneous tissue death characterized by rapid progression, systemic toxicity, and even death. NF often appears as a red, hot, painful, and swollen wound with an ill-defined border. As the infective process continues, local pain is replaced by numbness or analgesia. As the disease process continues, the skin initially becomes pale, then mottled and purple, and finally, gangrenous. The ability of NF to move rapidly along fascial planes and cause tissue necrosis is secondary to its polymicrobial composition and the synergistic effect of the enzymes produced by the bacteria. Treatment involves securing the airway, broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy, intensive care support, and prompt surgical debridement, repeated as needed. Reducing mortality rests on early diagnosis and prompt aggressive treatment.
Analgesia ; Bacteria ; Debridement ; Early Diagnosis ; Fasciitis, Necrotizing* ; Head* ; Hypesthesia ; Critical Care ; Mortality ; Neck* ; Necrosis ; Skin ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Wounds and Injuries

Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is defined as rapidly progressive necrosis of subcutaneous fat and fascia. Although NF of the face is rare, its mortality rate is nearly 30%. It usually originates from dental infection and can lead to involvement of the neck, mediastinum, and chest wall. Complications resulting from pre-existing systemic diseases can increase the mortality rate. Known complication factors for NF include diabetes, malnutrition, advanced age, peripheral vascular disease, renal failure, and obesity. Here, we report a case of NF originating from dental infection in an 88-year-old woman already diagnosed with hypertension, thoracic aortic aneurysm, and renal diseases. Such conditions limited adequate surgical and antibiotic treatment. However, interdisciplinary treatment involving multiple departments was implemented with good results.
Aged, 80 and over ; Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic ; Fascia ; Fasciitis, Necrotizing* ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Malnutrition ; Mediastinum ; Mortality ; Neck ; Necrosis ; Obesity ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases ; Renal Insufficiency ; Subcutaneous Fat ; Thoracic Wall