Isolated nasal and periocular necrotizing fasciitis caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae: Case report

• Published in: Otolaryngology case reports Vol. 30; p. 100581
• Main Authors: Alzamil, Abdullah A., Alhajress, Rafeef Ibrahim, Bakri, Essa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.03.2024
• Subjects: Case report; Facial NF; Head and neck NF; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Necrotizing fasciitis; Case report; Facial NF; Necrotizing fasciitis; Head and neck NF; Klebsiella pneumoniae
• ISSN: 2468-5488; 2468-5488
• DOI: 10.1016/j.xocr.2024.100581

Necrotizing fasciitis is a very aggressive and rapidly progressive infection characterized by necrosis of the soft tissues. Necrotizing fasciitis can be life-threatening and may cause multisystem failure and shock. This necessitates early recognition, diagnosis, and multidisciplinary team intervention with urgent medical and surgical management. Necrotizing fasciitis rarely affects the face. An elderly man with several comorbidities presented with external nasal swelling, erythema, and white discharge. He reported no traumatic injuries. Computed tomography of the head revealed extensive inflammation and multiple air foci. Isolated necrotizing fasciitis of the left side of the nose and left periorbital area, caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae, was diagnosed. Periodic debridement and antibiotic treatment temporarily improved his condition, but his overall condition worsened, and he died of cardiac arrest. According to our accessible data, there is only two reported cases about NF in the face with K. pneumonia without apparent odontogenic or traumatic injury.