Soft tissue necrosis
The treatment options for soft tissue necrosis include:
- Surgical removal (débridement) of necrotic tissue and drainage of any pus. This is the main mode of acute treatment.
- Surgical removal of necrotic tissue may have to take the form of an emergency intervention and in some instances may have to be radical (for example, large amounts of scalp or facial skin may have to be resected).
- Radical resection of necrotic tissue in the acute phase of the underlying condition may necessitate surgical reconstruction of large defects later on.
- When necrosis is associated with some severe bacterial infections (in particular clostridium infections (gas gangrene)), hyperbaric oxygen therapy, HBO may be beneficial.
- When necrosis is associated with infection(s), more or less aggressive and prolonged treatment with antibiotic agents (antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral) is necessary.
The exact treatment strategies for soft tissue necrosis depend on type, size, location, severity and underlying causes, but typically will include one or some of the approaches listed above.