Necrotising soft tissue infection in western Sydney: An 8-year experience

This study aimed to assess the risk factors, management, imaging validity, Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotising infection (LRINEC) score and outcomes of necrotising soft tissue infection (NSTI) at a western Sydney tertiary hospital.

A retrospective study was conducted of all patients with NSTI from 2012 to 2019 at our institution. Patient characteristics, imaging, microbiology and site, LRINEC score, surgical management and outcomes/disposition were collected.

Thirty-six patients met the inclusion criteria with mean age of 52 years and body mass index of 38.1; 55.6% were male, 48% of Polynesian descent and 55.6% were diabetic. The most frequent sites of NSTI were perineal (30.6%), lower limb (30.6%), perianal (19.3%) and trunk (11.1%). A total of 64% of patients underwent computed tomography radiological imaging with diagnostic accuracy of 50%. The mean LRINEC score was 7 (1-20). A total of 52.8% were transferred from another facility or non-surgical teams which delayed surgical review by 11.4 h (P < 0.03) and operating time by 12.4 h (P < 0.04) compared with direct emergency department referrals to the on-call surgical team. There was no statistical difference in outcomes in both groups. The overall average time to surgical debridement was 16.2 h (standard deviation 19.6, range 3.4-105.1). The mean hospital length of stay was 20.9 days; 44.4% of patients were transferred for rehabilitation or plastic reconstruction with a single mortality from multi-organ failure.

The optimal management of NSTI requires a high index of suspicion and LRINEC score is a useful adjunct in aiding a clinician's decision. Early surgical debridement within 24 h of diagnosis and a multidisciplinary approach is associated with a lower mortality rate.