Determinants and outcome of peri-orbital necrotizing fasciitis: Experience from a tertiary care center

We attempt to describe the determinants and outcome of severe soft tissue infections affecting the eye (peri-orbital necrotizing fasciitis or PNF), a rare entity caused by toxin-producing, virulent bacteria. Our series of six adult cases of PNF included patients with and without co-morbidities. Minor trauma and adjacent focus of infection preceded the development of PNF in four cases. No source of infection could be identified in two patients. Patients with no apparent co-morbidities recovered rapidly with aggressive antibiotic therapy and surgical debridement. However, all the patients who had associated co-morbidities showed a protracted course, two of them with complications. Surprisingly, in majority (5 out of 6), culture grew group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus. Thus, our case series points to the importance of early detection and aggressive treatment of associated co-morbid conditions to avoid complications of this life-threatening, yet treatable disease.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-SA

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