Factors associated with mortality in patients with extremity necrotizing soft-tissue infections: a single academic center experience

Purpose Necrotizing soft-tissue infection (NSTI) is a surgical emergency associated with high mortality. This study primarily aimed to identify the factors associated with in-hospital mortality due to NSTI in the extremities at a single institution. Secondarily, we aimed to clarify the effectiveness of the optimal combination of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) and surgery for NSTI treatment. Study design Retrospective observational study. Methods This study included all patients newly diagnosed with NSTI in the extremity from 2003 to 2021 in our hospital. Factors associated with mortality, including patient’s characteristics, duration from onset to hospitalization, NSTI type, and clinical data at the initial visit; acute disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), laboratory risk indicator for necrotizing fasciitis score, and sequential organ failure assessment score; treatment, initial surgery, surgery times, amputation, HBOT, combined surgery with HBOT, and clinical outcomes; amputation rate, mortality rate, and hospitalization duration were examined. Results A total of 37 cases were treated for NSTIs. The median age was 64 years (range: 22–86). Five cases (13.5%) died during hospitalization. Ten patients were diagnosed with DIC at the initial visit, of whom four died. HBOT combined with surgery was performed in 23 cases, and 16 cases underwent multiple surgeries. Factors associated with mortality included DIC ( p = 0.015, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.015–0.633) and multiple surgeries combined with HBOT ( p = 0.028, 95% CI: 1.302–95.418). Conclusion This study demonstrates that DIC at the initial visit is associated with mortality in extremity NSTI. Additionally, HBOT might improve prognosis when combined with multiple surgeries.