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Health Dictionary

Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.

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Necrotizing fasciitis historical perspective

Introduction

Overview

Overview

Narcotizing fasciitis was first described by Hippocrates in the fifth century B.C. as the complication of erysipelas.[1][2] During the Civil War, necrotizing fasciitis was described as “hospital gangrene” by Confederate Army surgeon Joseph Jones.[3][4] In 1924, Frank L. Meleney reported a series of 20 patients as having hemolytic streptococcal gangrene, later called Meleney’s gangrene.[5] Necrotizing fasciitis of perineum was described in 1883 by the French physician Jean Alfred Fournier.[6]

Historical Perspective

Historical Perspective

  • Necrotizing fasciitis was first described by Hippocrates in the fifth century B.C. as the complication of erysipelas.[1][2]
  • During the Civil War, necrotizing faciitis was described as “hospital gangrene” by Confederate Army surgeon Joseph Jones.[3][4][7]
  • In 1924, Frank L. Meleney reported a series of 20 patients as having hemolytic streptococcal gangrene, later called Meleney’s gangrene.[5]
  • The association between bacterial infection and necrotizing fasciitis was made in 1918.
  • In 1952, the disease was named as necrotizing fasciitis by Wilson.[3]
  • Necrotizing fasciitis of perineum was described in 1883 by the French physician, Jean Alfred Fournier.[6]
  • Guiliano and colleagues divided the necrotizing fasciitis into type I and type II.[8]
  • In 1989, Stevens and colleagues were the first to characterize unique clinical characteristics associated with GASNF.[9]
  • The soft tissue infections were first classified as either local or spreading by Smith et al.[10]
References

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Descamps V, Aitken J, Lee MG (1994). “Hippocrates on necrotising fasciitis”. Lancet. 344 (8921): 556. PMID 7914656.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Hasham S, Matteucci P, Stanley PR, Hart NB (2005). “Necrotising fasciitis”. BMJ. 330 (7495): 830–3. doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7495.830. PMC 556077. PMID 15817551.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 WILSON B (1952). “Necrotizing fasciitis”. Am Surg. 18 (4): 416–31. PMID 14915014.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Janevicius RV, Hann SE, Batt MD (1982). “Necrotizing fasciitis”. Surg Gynecol Obstet. 154 (1): 97–102. PMID 7031943.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Sadasivan J, Maroju NK, Balasubramaniam A (2013). “Necrotizing fasciitis”. Indian J Plast Surg. 46 (3): 472–8. doi:10.4103/0970-0358.121978. PMC 3897089. PMID 24459334.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Chennamsetty A, Khourdaji I, Burks F, Killinger KA (2015). “Corary diagnosis and management of Fournier’s gangrene”. Ther Adv Urol. 7 (4): 203–15. doi:10.1177/1756287215584740. PMC 4580094. PMID 26445600.
  7. ↑ Quirk WF, Sternbach G (1996). “Joseph Jones: infection with flesh eating bacteria”. J Emerg Med. 14 (6): 747–53. PMID 8969999.
  8. ↑ Krieg A, Röhrborn A, Schulte Am Esch J, Schubert D, Poll LW, Ohmann C; et al. (2009). “Necrotizing fasciitis: microbiological characteristics and predictors of postoperative outcome”. Eur J Med Res. 14 (1): 30–6. PMC 3352202. PMID 19258208.
  9. ↑ Stevens DL (1995). “Streptococcal toxic-shock syndrome: spectrum of disease, pathogenesis, and new concepts in treatment”. Emerg Infect Dis. 1 (3): 69–78. doi:10.3201/eid0103.950301. PMC 2626872. PMID 8903167.
  10. ↑ Smith AJ, Daniels T, Bohnen JM (1996). “Soft tissue infections and the diabetic foot”. Am J Surg. 172 (6A): 7S–12S. PMID 9003684.

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Yamuna Kondapally, M.B.B.S[2]