scholarly journals Necrotizing fasciitis of the left lower limb complicated with the abscess of retroperitoneal space: case report presentation and a retrospective study

Author(s):  
Chao Wang ◽  
Xujin Liu ◽  
Fan Zhang

Abstract BackgroundNecrotizing fasciitis(NF) is a severe progressive infectious disease where a synergistic action of multiple bacteria results in suppurative necrosis of the skin and soft tissue. Despite being a relatively uncommon infection, its mortality is significantly high. In this case report ,we describe the clinical presentation, management and outcome of a patient with NF of the left lower limb complicated with the abscess of retroperitoneal space and ensuing septic shock and dysfunction of heart and liver. Finally, we analyzed six cases we have treated before including this one and a retrospective study was performed.Case presentationA 69-year-old male patient, complaining about the pain of left lower limb and high fever due to uncertain reasons, featuring the tenderness of affected limb and left lower abdomen, was diagnosed with the NF complicated with the abscess of retroperitoneal space. The patient then develop septic shock and dysfunction of heart and liver. After repeated debridement of necrosis tissue, in combination with multiple antibiotics, laboratory test methods and the vacuum-assisted closure(VAC) therapy, the patient survived ,gradually improved and finally got a full recovery.MethodsA retrospective study was performed on six patients with NF of unilateral lower limb from March 2018 to October 2019. All patients were given systemic antibiotics and nutrition support. During the first stage, repeated surgical debridement with negative-pressure wound therapy(NPWT) was performed. Direct suture of the wound was performed in the second stage.ResultsThe incision healed well in all patients, and no infection or necrosis occurred in the wound. During the follow-up of 6.5 months (range, 5–9 months), no recurrence of infection or incision rupture occurred.DiscussionAlthough prompt diagnosis and adequate antibiotic therapy are basic for the treatment of patients with NF, early and repeated surgical intervention is vital for a favorable outcome. Thus, adjuvant treatment for NF such as negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) using the VAC are very useful to accelerate wound healing.ConclusionsPrompt diagnosis, adequate antibiotic therapy and more crucially, early and repeated surgical debridement of the necrotic tissue combined with VAC therapy play a collaborative role in the successful treatment of NF.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Wang ◽  
Fan Zhang ◽  
Zhensheng Hu

Abstract Background: Necrotizing fasciitis(NF) is a severe progressive infectious disease where a synergistic action of multiple bacteria results in suppurative necrosis of the skin and soft tissue. Despite being a relatively uncommon infection, its mortality is significantly high. In this case report ,we describe the clinical presentation, management and outcome of a patient with NF of the left lower limb complicated with the abscess of retroperitoneal space and ensuing septic shock and dysfunction of heart and liver. Finally, we analyzed six cases we have treated before including this one and a retrospective study was performed.Case presentation: A 69-year-old male patient, complaining about the pain of left lower limb and high fever due to uncertain reasons, featuring the tenderness of affected limb and left lower abdomen , was diagnosed with the NF complicated with the abscess of retroperitoneal space. The patient then develop septic shock and dysfunction of heart and liver. After repeated debridement of necrosis tissue, in combination with multiple antibiotics, laboratory test methods and the vacuum-assisted closure(VAC) therapy, the patient survived ,gradually improved and finally got a full recovery.Methods: A retrospective study was performed on six patients with NF of unilateral lower limb from March 2018 to October 2019. All patients were given systemic antibiotics and nutrition support. During the first stage, repeated surgical debridement with negative-pressure wound therapy(NPWT) was performed. Direct suture of the wound was performed in the second stage. Results: The incision healed well in all patients, and no infection or necrosis occurred in the wound. During the follow-up of 6.5 months (range, 5-9 months), no recurrence of infection or incision rupture occurred.Discussion: Although prompt diagnosis and adequate antibiotic therapy are basic for the treatment of patients with NF, early and repeated surgical intervention is vital for a favorable outcome. Thus, adjuvant treatment for NF such as negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) using the VAC are very useful to accelerate wound healing.Conclusions: Prompt diagnosis, adequate antibiotic therapy and more crucially, early and repeated surgical debridement of the necrotic tissue combined with VAC therapy play a collaborative role in the successful treatment of NF.


Author(s):  
Michael J. Gigliotti ◽  
Neel Patel ◽  
Caroline McLaughlin ◽  
Alexis Rothermel ◽  
Cathy Henry ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1331-1337
Author(s):  
Yosuke Namba ◽  
Yasuhiro Matsugu ◽  
Masaru Furukawa ◽  
Maiko Namba ◽  
Tamito Sasaki ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (38) ◽  
pp. 1-86
Author(s):  
Matthew L Costa ◽  
Juul Achten ◽  
Ruth Knight ◽  
May Ee Png ◽  
Julie Bruce ◽  
...  

Background Major trauma is the leading cause of death in people aged < 45 years. Patients with major trauma usually have lower-limb fractures. Surgery to fix the fractures is complicated and the risk of infection may be as high as 27%. The type of dressing applied after surgery could potentially reduce the risk of infection. Objectives To assess the deep surgical site infection rate, disability, quality of life, patient assessment of the surgical scar and resource use in patients with surgical incisions associated with fractures following major trauma to the lower limbs treated with incisional negative-pressure wound therapy versus standard dressings. Design A pragmatic, multicentre, randomised controlled trial. Setting Twenty-four specialist trauma hospitals representing the UK Major Trauma Network. Participants A total of 1548 adult patients were randomised from September 2016 to April 2018. Exclusion criteria included presentation > 72 hours after injury and inability to complete questionnaires. Interventions Incisional negative-pressure wound therapy (n = 785), in which a non-adherent absorbent dressing covered with a semipermeable membrane is connected to a pump to create a partial vacuum over the wound, versus standard dressings not involving negative pressure (n = 763). Trial participants and the treating surgeon could not be blinded to treatment allocation. Main outcome measures Deep surgical site infection at 30 days was the primary outcome measure. Secondary outcomes were deep infection at 90 days, the results of the Disability Rating Index, health-related quality of life, the results of the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale and resource use collected at 3 and 6 months post surgery. Results A total of 98% of participants provided primary outcome data. There was no evidence of a difference in the rate of deep surgical site infection at 30 days. The infection rate was 6.7% (50/749) in the standard dressing group and 5.8% (45/770) in the incisional negative-pressure wound therapy group (intention-to-treat odds ratio 0.87; 95% confidence interval 0.57 to 1.33; p = 0.52). There was no difference in the deep surgical site infection rate at 90 days: 13.2% in the standard dressing group and 11.4% in the incisional negative-pressure wound therapy group (odds ratio 0.84, 95% confidence interval 0.59 to 1.19; p = 0.32). There was no difference between the two groups in disability, quality of life or scar appearance at 3 or 6 months. Incisional negative-pressure wound therapy did not reduce the cost of treatment and was associated with a low probability of cost-effectiveness. Limitations Owing to the emergency nature of the surgery, we anticipated that some patients who were randomised would subsequently be unable or unwilling to participate. However, the majority of the patients (85%) agreed to participate. Therefore, participants were representative of the population with lower-limb fractures associated with major trauma. Conclusions The findings of this study do not support the use of negative-pressure wound therapy in patients having surgery for major trauma to the lower limbs. Future work Our work suggests that the use of incisional negative-pressure wound therapy dressings in other at-risk surgical wounds requires further investigation. Future research may also investigate different approaches to reduce postoperative infections, for example the use of topical antibiotic preparations in surgical wounds and the role of orthopaedic implants with antimicrobial coatings when fixing the associated fracture. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN12702354 and UK Clinical Research Network Portfolio ID20416. Funding This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 24, No. 38. See the NIHR Journals Library for further project information.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. e231197
Author(s):  
Victoria Elizabeth McKinnon ◽  
Jouseph Barkho ◽  
Mark H McRae

Exposure of a renal transplant through the abdominal wall is a rare event. A search of the literature reveals only six documented cases which used skin autograft for coverage, with none reported since 1981, and none which used negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) to prepare the recipient bed. This case report demonstrates that NPWT followed by split thickness skin graft is a reconstructive option which is feasible in patients who are at high risk for surgical complications in prolonged flap surgery.


2007 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 407-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Alexander Jones ◽  
John Butler ◽  
Isador Lieberman ◽  
Richard Schlenk

Object Deep infections of the spine are a significant cause of morbidity and death. Such infections complicate 0.7 to 11.9% of spinal procedures. Management includes intravenous antibiotic therapy, debridement and irrigation with primary closure, placement of drains, use of irrigation systems, and/or healing through secondary intention with wound packing. Vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) is a new alternative for treatment of patients with complex postoperative spinal infections. The aim of this study was to investigate the safety of this treatment method in this patient population. Methods The authors reviewed the charts of 16 consecutive patients treated with negative-pressure wound therapy at their institution between 2002 and 2006. All had deep infections of the spine and were treated with surgical debridement and placement of VAC dressings. All infections were postoperative. Members of the infectious disease service were involved in the care of all patients, and all patients received intravenous antibiotic therapy. The authors reviewed operative notes, discharge summaries, and notes from follow-up visits and assessed outcome on the basis of the same records. Three patients were lost to follow up, leaving a group of 13 with follow up of at least 90 days. Two patients experienced bleeding complications related to the continuous negative pressure of the VAC device. In two cases, the infections persisted and required reoperation. In one case, a skin graft was required because of nonhealing granulation tissue. One of the patients with bleeding complications died as a result of delayed complications related to intraoperative blood loss, blood loss via the VAC system, and refusal of a blood transfusion on religious grounds. Conclusions Negative-pressure wound therapy has been employed as a treatment strategy for patients with complex postoperative spinal infections, but little is known of the complications associated with VAC in the spinal surgery patient population. Serious complications, including death, may be associated with use of the VAC system.


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