Management of necrotizing fasciitis in diabetic patients

Necrotizing fasciitis is a life-threatening condition in diabetic patients; its management and salvage of the patient is a formidable challenge. Diabetes mellitus is one of the serious conditions associated with necrotizing fasciitis. It is a disorder that primarily affects the microvascular circulation. We review our experience and present our approach to necrotizing fasciitis in patients with diabetes mellitus. All cases of necrotizing fasciitis treated at Inonu University, Turgut Ozal Medical Center, from January 1997 to December 2003 were reviewed. A review of 59 charts identified 11 cases that met the study criteria. Cases with necrosis due to other obvious causes were excluded. Three patients had spread of infection with no fatality. An average of 42 hospital days (22-64 days), 17 intensive care unit days (7-28 days), and three surgical procedures (2-7) per patient was required. Necrotizing fasciitis is an extremely serious exceptional infectious process affecting subcutaneous soft tissue with skin gangrene and vascular thromboses. Clearly, the mortality and morbidity associated with necrotizing fasciitis even in diabetes can be decreased with clinical awareness, early diagnosis, effective surgical debridement, and intensive supportive care.