Necrotising fasciitis of the upper limb: a review of the literature.

Abstract

Necrotising fasciitis is an uncommon life-threatening surgical emergency. While most commonly seen in the lower limb it can also affect the upper limb. This article reviews and summarises the current literature on necrotising fasciitis in the upper limb, covering common predisposing factors, clinical presentations, scoring systems, common organism types and the timing of surgical treatment. The key to managing this condition continues to be early clinical diagnosis and aggressive surgical debridement to attempt to reduce the morbidity and mortality of this condition.