Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infection: A Single-Center Retrospective Study of Treatment and Outcomes

Introduction Necrotizing fasciitis is a severe inflammatory disease of the body's soft tissue characterized by spreading rapidly and high mortality. Rapid surgical intervention along with other supportive measures of treatment have a great impact on the outcome of treatment. Material and methods This study was conducted by a retrospective medical record review of all patients with a microbiologically and clinically confirmed diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis who were admitted to the general surgery department at the General Hospital Novi Pazar, Serbia, during the period between 2017 and 2020. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and microbiology data were analyzed. Results A total of 13 cases were identified, which represents 0.21% of the total number of patients treated at the surgical department during the period January 2017 to November 2020. The mean age of patients was 55 years, with a male/female ratio of 1:1.6. All of them had at least one comorbidity and more than half had three or more. Diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and obesity were the most common comorbidities. The most common causes of infection were Klebsiella spp, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, S. pyogenes, and S. aureus. All patients received multiple surgical interventions (mean 2.3). Conclusion Treating necrotizing fasciitis requires a multidisciplinary approach. Early diagnosis and rapid clinical response allow for better disease outcomes. Getting to know more about necrotizing fasciitis will help doctors make better decisions when treating it.