Abstract:
To review our management of cervical necrotizing fasciitis (CNF) with the use of adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO). Case series with chart review. Evaluation of ten patients with CNF between 2001 to 2006. There were five male and six female patients. Mean age was 43 +/- 11 years. Eight cases resulted from an odontogenic source. Comorbidities included diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and substance abuse. All patients had computed tomography scans performed, received intravenous antibiotics, and underwent surgical debridement. Eight patients underwent surgery within 24 hours. The average number of debridements was 2.2 +/- 0.8. Hospitalization was twice as long for diabetic patients (15.5 +/- 8.16 days) compared with nondiabetic patients (7.5 +/- 1.6 days, P = 0.029). Nine patients had HBO therapy. Combined data revealed a possible decrease in length of hospitalization with HBO therapy (P < 0.001). No mortality was documented. Flanagan, Daramola, Maisel, Adkinson, Odland, , , , (2009). Surgical debridement and adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen in cervical necrotizing fasciitis. Otolaryngology–head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, 2009 May;140(5):730-4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19393420