Is Early Surgical Intervention an Important Role in the Treatment of Patients with Vibrio Vulnificus Soft Tissue Infection?
Journal
中華民國整形外科醫學會雜誌
Journal Volume
15
Journal Issue
2
Pages
133-139
Date Issued
2006
Author(s)
Abstract
Background: Vibrio Vulnificus (Vibrio V.), a gram-negative bacterium, is capable of causing a rapidly fatal infection in patients with underlying chronic disease. Early suspicion and diagnosis with appropriate antibiotic administration, and early surgical intervention are important and recommended to reduce the mortality rate associated with this disease. Objectives: To report the influence of early surgical intervention. Materials and methods: we analyzed retrospectively the clinical charts in eighty-nine patients with Vibrio V. infection who were treated at Chi. Mei. Medical center between May, 2000 and December, 2004. Sixty-nine patients developed soft tissue infection. Results: Total mortality rate of these patients with Vibrio V. soft tissue infection was 17.39%. The mortality rate was lower in patients with surgical intervention (10.71%, 6/56) compared with those without surgical treatment (46.15%, 6/13, P=0.007). In patients with underlying liver disease, surgical intervention still proves to be able to lower down the mortality rate (27%, 4/15). Conclusion: A high index of suspicion is necessary for the diagnosis of Vibrio V. infection. The willingness to surgical debridement, fasciotomy, or limb amputation without hesitation at a very early time point, not waiting septicemia to occur, can really reduce the mortality rate of the fetal disease, especially for patients with underlying chronic disease.
SDGs
Type
journal article