Essay On Necrotizing Fasciitis

Once the diagnosis has been made, many types of treatment are available depending on the strain of necrotizing fasciitis involved. In general, treatment is usually performed immediately after the diagnosis and is composed of more than one part. Surgical debridement is almost always necessary, as a surgeon must remove all the necrotic tissue until uninfected tissue is observed. If the disease has progressed beyond the tissue layers, amputation of a limb is also common. After surgery, the remaining necrotizing fasciitis infection is treated with the appropriate antibiotics (3). Emergency surgery is most often the first and most efficient step in the treatment of necrotizing fasciitis. It is indicated for a patient experiencing either intense pain or displaying major skin discoloration. The main aspects of surgical treatment include debridement, necrosectomy, and fasciotomy. Debridement involves the complete removal of the infected tissue from the body. Necrosectomy involves the use of an endoscope to remove the necrotic tissue, and usually results in less scarring. A fasciotomy is when the skin’s fascia is cut to relieve the tension pressure upon a muscle or tissue (19). These surgical
The incisions are made parallel to the Langer’s lines to allow the wound to heal properly and with less scarring. The Langer’s lines, also called cleavage lines, represent the natural orientation of collagen fibers beneath the skin. The use of these lines also minimizes tissue loss, thus reducing the need for amputation. For an effective wound closure, a vacuum-assisted closure device has been increasingly used. Vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy places a sterile sponge within the wound, covers it with a drape, and connects the pump to the sponge. Several studies support the effectiveness of this method because of its ability to constantly clean the wound and limit potential