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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Is The Prognosis For The Dead Tissue In The Body?

my sister (early 60s) has been in hospital 3 days following surgery 8 days ago to correct back pain. She is being bombarded with a cocktail of antibiotics to combat what is believed to be a flesh-eatin bacteria. She has had surgery this morning to remove dead tissue from a hole approximately 1 diameter by about 4 deep. Do you have any idea of the prognosis. Thank you, Anthony
Tue, 5 Aug 2014
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  User's Response
Hi, thanks for posting your concern in the HCM.
Necrotizing fascitis or flesh eating disease can be due to many bacteria, including Clostridia, Staph., Strepto. etc.
The treatment is definitely based on antibiotic therapy and maintenance of fluid and electrolyte balance, surgical debridement and sometimes hyperbaric oxygen therapy. But, it is better to give antibiotics based culture sensitivity results of specimen like wound swab and blood.
Prognosis will depend upon the age, general medical condition of the patient, presence or absence of diabetes, immunity status, renal function, presence and absence of sepsis etc. As your mother is elderly, prognosis can be worse than a younger patient. However, with rational treatment and judicial use of antimicrobials (antibiotics) both her life and her limb can be saved if the causative organism is not multi-drug resistant.
Therefore, please don't worry. The treatment protocol has been correct.
However, in case you have any further query in future, you can directly ask me questions @ http://www.HealthcareMagic.com/doctors/dr-kaushik-sarkar/68460. Please attach all the investigation reports and mention the patient's detailed medical history and current list of medications.
Regards,
Dr. Kaushik
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What Is The Prognosis For The Dead Tissue In The Body?

Hi, thanks for posting your concern in the HCM. Necrotizing fascitis or flesh eating disease can be due to many bacteria, including Clostridia, Staph., Strepto. etc. The treatment is definitely based on antibiotic therapy and maintenance of fluid and electrolyte balance, surgical debridement and sometimes hyperbaric oxygen therapy. But, it is better to give antibiotics based culture sensitivity results of specimen like wound swab and blood. Prognosis will depend upon the age, general medical condition of the patient, presence or absence of diabetes, immunity status, renal function, presence and absence of sepsis etc. As your mother is elderly, prognosis can be worse than a younger patient. However, with rational treatment and judicial use of antimicrobials (antibiotics) both her life and her limb can be saved if the causative organism is not multi-drug resistant. Therefore, please don t worry. The treatment protocol has been correct. However, in case you have any further query in future, you can directly ask me questions @ http://www.HealthcareMagic.com/doctors/dr-kaushik-sarkar/68460. Please attach all the investigation reports and mention the patient s detailed medical history and current list of medications. Regards, Dr. Kaushik