Necrotizing fasciitis of previous surgical wound complicating intensive postremission chemotherapy.

Necrotizing fasciitis of previous surgical wound developed in a leukemic patient after receiving intense postremission chemotherapy. A unique feature was profound granulocytopenia and the recovery of Escherichia coli in the blood and necrotic tissue. We believe the hematogenous seeding of the surgical wound during the episode of E. coli septicemia was the cause of our patient's necrotizing fasciitis.