Effect of transfer status on outcomes for necrotizing soft tissue infections

Whether patients with necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTI) who presented to under-resourced hospitals are best served by immediate debridement or expedited transfer is unknown. We examined whether interhospital transfer status impacts outcomes of patients requiring emergency debridement for NSTI.

We conducted a retrospective review studying patients with an operative diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis, Fournier's gangrene, or gas gangrene in the 2010-2015 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Participant Use Data Files. Multivariable regression analyses determined if transfer status independently predicted 30-d mortality, major morbidity, minor morbidity, and length of stay.

Among 1801 patients, 1243 (69.0%) were in the non-transfer group and 558 (31.0%) were in the transfer group. The transfer group experienced higher rates of 30-d mortality (14.5% versus 13.0%) and major morbidity (64.5% versus 60.1%) than the non-transfer group, which were not significant after risk adjustment (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 0.87 [0.62-1.22] and 1.00 [0.79-1.27], respectively). The transferred group experienced a longer median length of postoperative hospitalization (14 d [interquartile range 8-24] versus 11 d [6-20]), which maintained statistical significance after adjustment for other factors (adjusted beta coefficient [95% confidence interval]: 1.92 [0.48-3.37]; P = 0.009).

Our results suggest that interhospital transfer status is not an independent risk factor for mortality or morbidity after surgical management of NSTI. Although expedient debridement remains a basic tenet of NSTI management, our findings provide some reassurance that transfer before initial debridement will not significantly jeopardize patient outcomes should such transfer be deemed necessary.