Necrotising Fasciitis

Necrotising Fasciitis Score

Necrotising fasciitis has a very similar clinical presentation to cellulitis. In order to distinguish between the two, medical practitioners have devised the Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotising Fasciitis (LRINEC).

Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotising Fasciitis

Using this system, patients are scored according to different criteria – for example, the presence of necrotic fascia. The score for each criteria is then added together, with the potential range being between 0 and 13.

Patients who have a score of six, or greater than six, are at risk of necrotising fasciitis. These patients should then undergo immediate investigation for the condition. The best course is to proceed straight to exploratory surgery. If evidence of necrosis is identified, the tissue can be removed there and then.

Timing of surgery

Necrotising fasciitis is a very fast-moving bacterial infection. This means there is no time for hesitation.

If there is a slight suspicion that a patient might be suffering from necrotising fasciitis, the Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotising Fasciitis can be useful. But if their clinical presentation and history of symptoms provide a strong indication that necrotising fasciitis is present, the patient should be sent straight to theatre for exploratory surgery.

Waiting to carry out further examinations and tests may prove disastrous, as a delay of hours can be fatal. Therefore medical practitioners must use their professional knowledge to decide what is best for the patient. If the patient is displaying the typical symptoms of necrotising fasciitis infection, calculating a necrotising fasciitis score may not be beneficial.

Delayed diagnosis and treatment of necrotising fasciitis

If you or your loved one developed necrotising fasciitis but medical practitioners were slow in making a diagnosis and/or slow in performing debridement surgery, there may be grounds for a compensation claim.

Although necrotising fasciitis is rare, it does carry the hallmark symptoms of a soft tissue infection. These should be easily identified by medical practitioners and a diagnosis should swiftly follow.

If there is a failure to act in time, causing the patient to fall critically unwell with necrotising fasciitis, sepsis and organ failure, there could be a case of medical negligence.

Speak to our lawyers

To find out if you can make a medical negligence claim for compensation, please get in touch with our team of solicitors today. We are experts in medical negligence claims with specialist knowledge of necrotising fasciitis. We will advise whether you are entitled to compensation in a free initial enquiry.

Please call us free on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Online Enquiry Form.