title: Cervical necrotizing fasciitis of odontogenic origin.
abstract: Necrotizing fasciitis is a severe soft tissue infection caused by both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and is characterized by a rapid extension along fascial planes and by necrosis of soft tissues. The disease rarely occurs in the head and neck. Three cases of necrotizing fasciitis of the neck after a dental infection are presented. The difficulty in diagnosing the early stage of this condition in relation to other soft tissue infections of odontogenic origin in the neck is discussed. The importance of an early diagnosis followed by an appropriate combination of medical, surgical, and dental treatment is emphasized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Tel Aviv Scurasky Medical Center, Ichilov Hospital, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rapoport
authors.forename: M Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Himelfarb
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zikk
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bloom
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001442:Bacteroides Infections; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000150:complications; D004754:Enterobacter; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections; D005208:Fasciitis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005491:Focal Infection, Dental / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D009336:Necrosis; D010482:Periapical Abscess / Q000150:complications; D013290:Streptococcal Infections; D013492:Suppuration