[Necrotizing Fasciitis: A comprehensive review]

Abstract

Even though necrotizing fasciitis is considered a rare disease, the spreading of the predisposing factors such as diabetes and chronic diseases, contribute to increase the incidence of this infection. Thus, how to diagnose and treat this clinical pathology, which represents an emerging need. This infection could be fatal for patients if not early diagnosed and treated and it represents a challenge both for the clinicians both for the surgeons. From this consideration was born the idea to write this review article in order to furnish to the readers a helpful tool in the management of this disease starting from its clinical and epidemiological features leading to the diagnosis, both clinical and radiological, and concluding with the treatment both medical both surgical .This article reviews literature on PubMed/MEDLINE with key words "necrotizing", "fasciitis" and "necrotizing fasciitis" from 1967 to 2014, considering all the aspects of the disease. The authors attempt to draw comparisons to their own experience managing this condition to give an Italian perspective to the condition.

Keywords: Fasciitis; General surgery; Necrosis; Necrotizing fasciitis; Soft-tissue infections.