The additional necroses of the superficial fascia and fat produces a thin watery malodorous fluid and crepitance (usually associated with polymicrobial infections including Enterobacteriaceae and Clostridiae spp) are results in more evident signs of necrotizing infection.

Patients with SIRS can have high fever, anxiety, altered mental status, leukocitosis, shock and tachypnea. In that particular case, when severe soft tissue infections is already selleck inhibitor suspected, the usage of the LRNIC scoring system for prediction of NF are very useful for exact diagnosis [2, 20]. By the time the progression of clinical signs becomes obvious, the appearance is usually that of a late NF phase, with visible bruising, bullae and cutaneous necrosis due to the extension of the necrotizing process from the deep fascia and horizontal spread [1]. The case history click here at that moment should suggest the causative microorganisms of infection. Nevertheless, the lack of cutaneous findings early in the course of the disease makes the diagnosis more challenging, and a high suspicion is essential for each clinical sign that appears on the skin and subcutaneous tissue. The accumulation of gas formation

in the soft tissue, which is seen in half of all NF cases, is another cardinal sign of NF diagnosis. It is clearly visible on plain x-ray pictures. More useful clinical findings are visible with eFT508 concentration ultrasound, CT Org 27569 scan and MRI. We prefer an additional skin puncture with large gauge needles to mobilize gas from subcutaneous spaces. If we do not find any gas bubbles, but the clinical picture presents other relevant clinical

signs of NF, we must perform a radical surgical debridement as soon as possible, and prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics that cover aerobic and anaerobic microbial species [15, 24]. Diagnostic imaging modalities The most important clinical signs of NF are tissue necrosis, putrid discharge, bullae, severe pain, gas formations in soft tissue, rapid spreading through fascial planes and the lack of classical tissue inflammatory signs, i.e. “”dolor, color, rubor, tumor and functio laesa”". Today, CT and MRI are superior methods compared to sonography, scintigraphy and plain radiography, which also provide useful information about the nature and the extent of necrotizing infection [1, 2, 35]. Nevertheless, physical examination and a clear understanding of the clinical picture are the most important means in establishing an early diagnosis of any type of NSTI and NF [6, 36]. Treatment Successful treatment of NSTI requires a multidisciplinary approach from the onset and coordination between general practitioners and surgeons for outpatient cases, and between the surgeons and other specialists in hospital facilities. The first and economically most important decision in treating necrotizing infections concerns the need for hospitalization.