Objective criteria may assist in distinguishing necrotizing fasciitis from nonnecrotizing soft tissue infection

Type and Location of Injection Drug Use-Related Soft Tissue Infections Predict Hospitalization

“…Surgeons may thus opt for more extensive exploration in the operating room rather than performing an incision-and-drainage procedure in the ED. 21,22 However, 41% of patients diagnosed with deltoid abscesses did not have an operating room procedure. No clinical studies have compared the long-term outcomes and complications of patients with deltoid abscesses managed with or without an operating room procedure.…”

Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections

“…Wall and colleagues found that a white blood cell (WBC) count <15,000 cells/mm3 and a serum sodium level greater than 135 mmol/L had a negative predictive value of 99% and a 90% sensitivity for detecting NSTIs [7]- [8] . The LRINEC, developed based on data from 89 consecutive patients with NSTI compared with 314 patients with severe cellulitis or abscess or both, stratifies patients based on level of C-reactive protein, WBC count, hemoglobin level, serum sodium level, serum creatinine level, and serum glucose level at admission .…”

Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infection of the Foot: A Case Report

“…Wong, et al, 3 describe a "triad" of exquisite pain (97.8% of patients), swelling (92.1%), and fever (79.8%). In their matched consecutive case series of 21 NSTI cases and 21 non-NSTI controls, Wall and colleagues 13 identified tense edema (38% vs 0%, p=0.003) and bullae (24% vs 0%; p=0.049) as the most specific physical findings.…”