DefinePK

Abstract

Introduction


Caesarean section is a safe mode of delivery owing to improvement in anaesthetic and surgical technique but there is an increased risk of postpartum complications following caesarean delivery1. Morbidity figures between 6-65% have been reported2,3 with wound infection as a major contributory factor. With the frequent use of prophylactic short term antibiotics serious wound infections are rare, but they still occur as seen in this report. Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare life threatening wound infection which requires prompt recogni­tion and treatment. It is a polymicrobial infection that mainly involves the fascia and spreads very rapidly along the relatively ischemic fascial planes with wide spread undermining of surrounding tissue and extreme systemic toxicity. There is generalised thrombosis of the penetrating vessels causing devascularization of the skin. The diagnosis should be suspected when a wound margin looks dusky and necrotic in a seriously ill patient.