Necrotizing soft tissue infections: a surgical disease.

Despite advances in antibiotics and infection control practices necrotizing fasciitis is still a potentially lethal disease. We reviewed 37 patients with necrotizing fasciitis to identify prognostic factors indicating outcome. Overall mortality was 24 per cent. Mortality was significantly increased for elderly patients. Solid-organ transplant recipients also represented a subset of patients with increased mortality. Most infections were polymicrobial. There was no Clostridium perfringens cultured. Rapid diagnosis and treatment with surgical debridement remains the cornerstone of therapy.