Periocular necrotising fasciitis--a case report

To document the step-by-step reconstructive surgical rehabilitation, over a 12-month period, of a patient with severe periocular necrotising fasciitis.

This is a retrospective interventional case note review of a 68-year-old man who developed necrotising fasciitis a few days after an insect bite. He had severe facial cellulitis with subsequent necrosis of all four eyelids despite broad spectrum antibiotics.

The initial management included performing a wide surgical debridement, with the removal of infected and necrotic tissue extending bilaterally from the forehead to the mouth. Split skin grafts were used to cover the extensive tissue defects. Subsequent horizontal eyelid shortening and full-thickness skin was required to correct severe cicatricial ectropions, eyelid displacement and improve lagophthalmos.

Necrotising fasciitis is an acute fulminant infection of the subcutaneous fat and deep fascia. The initial appearance may look like cellulitis but necrosis quickly follows. Facial disease with extensive periocular involvement represents a significant management challenge.