Fasciitis, Necrotizing
Conditions
Keywords
Necrotizing fasciitis, Fournier's gangrene, Cellulitis, Serum Lactate
Brief summary
The investigators examined the hypothesis that serum lactate is raised in early necrotizing fasciitis to a much greater extent than in other differential diagnoses, such as severe cellulitis, and therefore provides a diagnostic indicator.
Detailed description
A prospective comparison of serum lactate levels at referral to the Plastic Surgery team to the 'gold standard' test of histology at initial surgical debridement, looking at 53 consecutive patients referred with suspected necrotizing fasciitis to a single surgeon at one institution between 2000 and 2010.
Interventions
None listed
Sponsors
National Health Service, United Kingdom
Study design
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Referral to one consultant (Mr A Armstrong) at one institution (Wexham Park Hospital) with a suspected diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis between September 2000 and September 2010
Exclusion criteria
* Nil
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Serum lactate level | At referral to the Plastic Surgery Team | Serum lactate level at initial referral to the plastic surgery team, as measured by arterial blood gas analysis (calibrated point-of-care testing). Levels compared between the group with confirmed histological necrosis at initial surgical debridement, versus those with no evidence of necrosis (a composite of those who did not undergo surgery as they were judged not to have necrotizing fasciitis, and those who did undergo surgery, but whose histology did not show tissue necrosis). |
Countries
United Kingdom
Outcome results
None listed