Necrotizing fasciitis of the abdominal wall with lethal outcome: A case report

Necrotizing fasciitis is an acute surgical condition that demands prompt and multi-faceted treatment. Early recognition, aggressive surgical debridement, and targeted antibiotic therapy significantly affect the overall course of treatment and survival. The author reports here the case of a woman with necrotizing fasciitis of the abdominal wall and the course and methods of treatment. Two comorbidity factors (extreme obesity, diabetes) and the late diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis, the latter masked by celullitis and phlegmona of the abdominal wall, resulted in overdue adequate surgical treatment. The combination of these factors contributed to medical treatment failure and, consequently, a lethal outcome. © Springer-Verlag 2006.