title: Management of facial necrotizing fasciitis.
abstract: Necrotizing fasciitis is a progressive, life-threatening, bacterial infection of the skin, the subcutaneous tissue and the underlying fascia, in most cases caused by ss-hemolytic group A streptococcus. Only early diagnosis and aggressive therapy including broad spectrum antibiotics and surgical intervention can avoid systemic toxicity with a high mortality rate. This uncommon disease generally occurs in the lower extremities and trunk, and only rarely affects the head and neck region. When located in the face necrotizing fasciitis is associated with severe cosmetic and functional restrictions due to the invasive infection and often to the necessary surgical treatment. Generally surgical intervention cannot be performed in the face as aggressively as in the extremities and trunk, since a lot of vital structures are found in a relatively small area. In the following article, we present the successful diagnostic and therapeutic management of an isolated facial necrotizing fasciitis as a consequence of a nasal bone fracture with a minor dermal cut.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany. dr.schurr@web.de
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schurr
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Burghartz
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miethke
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kesting
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hoang
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Staudenmaier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002981:Clindamycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005123:Eye; D019115:Fasciitis, Necrotizing / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000150:complications*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013407:Sulbactam / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D010406:Penicillins; D008795:Metronidazole; D002981:Clindamycin; D013407:Sulbactam