Post-traumatic necrotising fasciitis of the breast: a case study with literature review

J Wound Care. 2019 Nov 2;28(11):775-778. doi: 10.12968/jowc.2019.28.11.775.

Abstract

Necrotising fasciitis is a rare infection of the skin and underlying soft tissue. It primarily involves the extremities and rarely the breast. Primary necrotising fasciitis of the breast in a non-lactating, healthy female is rarer still. The authors present the case report of a patient presenting with primary necrotising fasciitis of the breast after sustaining a penetrating injury. The patient was managed successfully with serial debridement and negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT). To our knowledge only 19 such cases have been reported in the indexed literature so far. This is also the eighth case globally of primary necrotising fasciitis of the breast in a non-lactating female without any associated immunosuppression, which is the basis of reporting this case.

Keywords: breast; necrotising fasciitis; negative pressure wound therapy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Breast / injuries*
  • Breast Diseases / etiology*
  • Breast Diseases / microbiology
  • Breast Diseases / surgery*
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Debridement
  • Fasciitis, Necrotizing / etiology*
  • Fasciitis, Necrotizing / microbiology
  • Fasciitis, Necrotizing / therapy*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy
  • Wounds, Penetrating / complications*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents