Multifocal necrotizing fasciitis: what makes it different? A German trauma center experience.

BACKGROUND

Multifocal necrotizing fasciitis (MulNF) is a rare presentation of necrotizing fasciitis (NF) characterized by involvement of more than one non-contiguous anatomical site during the same disease episode. Comparative data between monofocal and multifocal NF remain limited.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective single-center cohort study of patients treated for NF between 2015 and 2026. Patients were classified as MNF (single site) or MulNF (multiple non-contiguous sites) based on chart review. Demographics, comorbidities, microbiology, laboratory values, organ failure, ICU course, surgical burden, and outcomes were compared.

RESULTS

Forty-seven patients were included, of whom five (10.6%) had multifocal NF. Four of these showed clearly synchronous non-contiguous involvement, whereas one developed a delayed second non-contiguous focus within the first four days of the same disease episode. Compared with MNF, MulNF was associated with higher ICU burden, more frequent mechanical ventilation, and a greater number of debridements and total operations. Higher rates of septic shock, hemodynamic failure, and renal replacement therapy were observed in MulNF. No deaths occurred in the small multifocal cohort, whereas 11/42 patients with monofocal NF died during hospitalization. Given the small multifocal sample size and multiple comparisons performed, all findings should be interpreted cautiously.

CONCLUSION

In this single-center cohort, multifocal NF represented a rare but clinically severe disease pattern associated with greater ICU and surgical burden than monofocal NF. These findings support heightened clinical vigilance for additional non-contiguous foci and emphasize the importance of rapid diagnosis and repeated surgical assessment. Larger multicenter studies are needed to validate these exploratory observations and better define the clinical relevance and pathogenesis of multifocal NF.