title: Necrotizing fasciitis of the extremities: 34 cases at a single centre over the past 5 years.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Worldwide the incidence of necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is on the rise. This rapidly progressive infection is a true infectious disease emergency due to its high morbidity and mortality. The mainstay of therapy is prompt surgical debridement, intravenous antibiotics, and supportive care with fluid and electrolyte management. Because of its high mortality rate, patients are increasingly referred to burn centres for specialized wound and critical care issues.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective chart review was performed of 34 consecutive patients over a 5-year period with NF of the upper and/or lower extremities that required surgical debridement and reconstruction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall survival rate was 96%, with an average length of hospital stay of 64.0 ± 5.5 days. The time until the first operation was 1.3 days. The average age of the patients was 56.7 ± 10.6 years. The patients averaged 1.6 relevant comorbidities. One patient who had five comorbidities died. The affected total body surface (TBS) averaged 8.2 ± 2.1%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early recognition and treatment remain the most important factors influencing survival in NF. Yet, early diagnosis of the condition is difficult due to its similarities with other soft-tissue disorders. Repeated surgical debridement and incisional drainage continues to be essential for the survival. However, these infections continue to be a source of high morbidity, mortality and significant healthcare resource consumption. These challenging patients are best served with prompt diagnosis, immediate radical surgical debridement and aggressive critical care management. Referral to a major burn centre may help to provide optimal surgical intervention, wound care and critical care management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hand-, Plastic- and Reconstructive Surgery, Burn Center, BG Trauma Center Ludwigshafen, Plastic- and Hand-Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Ludwig-Guttmann-Str. 13, 67071, Ludwigshafen, Germany. hryssel@bgu-ludwigshafen.de
authors.forename: Henning
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ryssel
authors.forename: Günter
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Germann
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kloeters
authors.forename: Christian Andreas
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Radu
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reichenberger
authors.forename: Emre
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gazyakan
mesh_terms: D015897:Comorbidity; D005121:Extremities; D019115:Fasciitis, Necrotizing / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies