Necrotizing Fasciitis of the Lower Extremity Treated With Continuous Local Antibiotic Perfusion.

Abstract

Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a severe soft tissue infection that can spread rapidly throughout the body, often resulting in fatal outcomes. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) enhances wound healing by applying local negative pressure, and its effectiveness in managing NF has been documented. However, NPWT creates a semi-closed environment at the wound site, posing a risk of infection. Continuous local antibiotic perfusion (CLAP) is an innovative approach that uses localized infusion to deliver high concentrations of antibiotics continuously to the affected area via NPWT. CLAP includes intramedullary antibiotic perfusion (iMAP), which involves the intrathecal administration of antimicrobials, and intra-soft tissue antibiotic perfusion (iSAP), which targets the soft tissue. Previous studies have highlighted the efficacy of CLAP in controlling infections in both bone and soft tissue. Here, we present two cases of lower extremity NF treated with iSAP. In both cases, effective infection control and accelerated wound healing were achieved, leading to wound closure. These outcomes suggest that iSAP is a useful treatment modality for NF that offers a reduced treatment period and minimizes the procedural burden on patients.