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Necrotizing Fasciitis: Flesh Eating Follies

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Case Studies in Emergency Medicine

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Abstract

Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is an uncommon but not rare diagnosis. It develops along a spectrum often initially looking like cellulitis. The ability to correctly make the diagnosis depends on when the patient presents. Early on it may look like cellulitis, but as it progresses, pain out of proportion to exam findings and a sick-looking patient with rapidly progressing disease should lead the practitioner to strongly consider NF. It is usually a polymicrobial infection; however, monomicrobial (usually Streptococcus pyogenes) infection can happen in healthy, otherwise normal individuals. Treatment is, first and foremost, surgical debridement. Antibiotics, while important, are not effective without timely and aggressive surgical intervention. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy may play an adjunctive role.

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Disclosure Statement

Callibra, Inc.-Discharge 123 medical software company. Medical Advisory Board Portola Pharmaceuticals. I have no relationship with a commercial company that has a direct financial interest in subject matter or materials discussed in article or with a company making a competing product.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Emergency Medicine, Wexner Medical Center at The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

    Colin G. Kaide

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  1. Colin G. Kaide
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Correspondence to Colin G. Kaide .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Wexner Medical Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

    Colin G. Kaide

  2. Wexner Medical Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

    Christopher E. San Miguel

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Kaide, C.G. (2020). Necrotizing Fasciitis: Flesh Eating Follies . In: Kaide, C., San Miguel, C. (eds) Case Studies in Emergency Medicine. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22445-5_44

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22445-5_44

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-22444-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-22445-5

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