title: [Necrotizing soft tissue infections: nomenclature and classification].
abstract: Terminology used to refer to necrotizing infections is extensive because of the absence of clear definitions and the use of classification systems based on a variety of criteria, including etiologic, microbiologic, anatomic, and clinical aspects. This situation has led to some confusion. In the attempt to unify terminology, it might be more appropriate to use only the terms necrotizing fasciitis and myonecrosis, in which differentiation is mainly anatomical. Another option would be to use only the expression necrotizing soft tissue infections, a non-specific term, since these constitute a group of clinical processes having similar pathophysiologic characteristics and therapeutic principles.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Intensiva. Unidad de Terapia Hiperbárica. Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla. Santander. Spain.
authors.forename: Ubaldo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: Galo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Peralta
mesh_terms: D002481:Cellulitis / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology; D019115:Fasciitis, Necrotizing / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005734:Gangrene / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology; D009336:Necrosis; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000145:classification* / Q000473:pathology; D009626:Terminology as Topic