Necrotising Fasciitis of the Abdominal Wall
Necrotising fasciitis is a rare but potentially lethal infection. It can affect soft tissues across the body, including the abdominal wall.
When necrotising fasciitis appears in the abdominal wall, the tissue must be removed with a surgical procedure called 'debridement'. A failure to do so will result in fatal complications.
Necrotizing fasciitis
Necrotising fasciitis is a bacterial infection. It normally starts when certain bacteria get into the body and travel to the deep tissues. There they multiply and release a poisonous chemical into the body, causing the surrounding tissues to die.
Necrotising fasciitis can appear anywhere in the body. Usually there will be an initial site of infection, after which the bacteria will spread further afield as they reproduce.
Necrotizing fasciitis in the abdominal wall
When necrotising fasciitis develops in the abdominal wall, it is typically because bacteria have got into the abdomen via a surgical wound, or because the bacteria have spread from another infection nearby.
There are examples of necrotising fasciitis developing due to:
- Infection after caesarean section
- Appendicitis leading to burst (ruptured/perforated) appendix
- Abdominal surgery or procedures
- Strangulated hernia
- Abscess
What happens when necrotising fasciitis appears in the abdominal wall?
When necrotising fasciitis develops in the abdominal wall, the patient will become unwell with severe tummy pain. He/she may also report vomiting, diarrhoea and flu-like symptoms.
The best way to diagnose the underlying problem is to perform exploratory surgery. This will reveal evidence of necrosis in the abdomen, meaning dead tissue will be visible. Once diagnosed, the surgeon must proceed to remove all the infection tissue.
Removing a large amount of tissue from the abdominal wall can affect function, and the patient may need to be fitted with an ileostomy to allow the area time to heal. Depending upon the extent of infection, the patient may also become critically unwell, as their body will be fighting a severe infection, and will be struggling to cope with the trauma of having a large amount of tissue removed.
Delayed surgery
The only way to avoid such complications is to perform debridement surgery as soon as possible – before too much tissue becomes infected. If surgery is delayed and medical error is to blame, there could be a breach of duty. This means that the medical practitioners involved did not provide a reasonable standard of care.
If your necrotising fasciitis was not diagnosed and treated quickly enough, causing you to suffer extensive injuries, there could be a case for medical negligence. Please get in touch with us for more information.
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To make a necrotising fasciitis medical negligence compensation claim, please get in touch with us today.
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