What is it about?
Necrotising fasciitis is a rare but life-threatening soft tissue infection. There are about 500 new cases per year in the Uk. It commonly affects the trunk and extremities of the body. It is commonly caused by a bacterial infection, but fungal infection can also be a causative factor. Diagnosis is made by high clinical suspicion, although clinical investigation including blood tests and imaging tests are also recommended. Early resuscitation and extensive surgical debridement is the definitive treatment.
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Why is it important?
This review highlights current clinical practice, suggesting best practice to the management of necrotising fasciitis whilst also suggests future roles of new therapeutic adjuncts. Future research opportunities to understand emerging more virulent and resistant pathogenic organisms is also highligted.
Perspectives
Research into this rare disease has made me appreciate the impact of evidence-based medicine, observing historical practices and how current clinical practices are being updated as new information is made available.
Josiah Damisa
Darlington Memorial Hospital
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Necrotising fasciitis: a narrative review of the literature, British Journal of Hospital Medicine, April 2021, Mark Allen Group,
DOI: 10.12968/hmed.2020.0577.
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