Periorbital Necrotizing Fasciitis: Presentation to management

Summary: Periorbital necrotizing fasciitis is a rare but severe infection that spreads quickly along the fascial planes, often leading to sepsis and is associated with considerable morbidity and high mortality rate. Early recognition is paramount, yet initial symptoms such as localized pain and eyel...

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Main Authors: Vladimir Mégevand, Jérôme Martineau, Maria Baccaro, Pauline Darbellay Farhoumand, Daniel F. Kalbermatten, Dominik André-Lévigne
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:JPRAS Open
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352587825000786
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author Vladimir Mégevand
Jérôme Martineau
Maria Baccaro
Pauline Darbellay Farhoumand
Daniel F. Kalbermatten
Dominik André-Lévigne
author_facet Vladimir Mégevand
Jérôme Martineau
Maria Baccaro
Pauline Darbellay Farhoumand
Daniel F. Kalbermatten
Dominik André-Lévigne
author_sort Vladimir Mégevand
collection DOAJ
description Summary: Periorbital necrotizing fasciitis is a rare but severe infection that spreads quickly along the fascial planes, often leading to sepsis and is associated with considerable morbidity and high mortality rate. Early recognition is paramount, yet initial symptoms such as localized pain and eyelid swelling are often nonspecific. These are quickly followed by blister formation, periorbital skin and subcutaneous tissue necrosis, and systemic symptoms. Management of necrotizing fasciitis usually involves aggressive surgical debridement alongside broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics. However, this approach is unsuitable for the periorbital area owing to the risks of eyeball exposure, decline in vision, and disfigurement.In this report, we present the case of an 85-year-old male patient who was referred to our clinic for evaluation of a suspected upper eyelid abscess, accompanied by a rapidly worsening decline in his overall clinical condition.The patient underwent 2 surgical debridements of the periorbital area, followed by reconstruction using a combination of a Mustardé cheek advancement flap and full-thickness skin graft. No surgical complications were observed, and the patient achieved aesthetic and functional improvement shortly after definitive reconstruction. Early recognition and debridement are crucial to ensure satisfactory outcomes, while reconstructive surgery techniques allow satisfactory cosmetic results.
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spelling doaj-art-1d37cd6faa8e4009b6e535dae2ff0bb82025-08-20T03:53:47ZengElsevierJPRAS Open2352-58782025-09-0145556010.1016/j.jpra.2025.04.009Periorbital Necrotizing Fasciitis: Presentation to managementVladimir Mégevand0Jérôme Martineau1Maria Baccaro2Pauline Darbellay Farhoumand3Daniel F. Kalbermatten4Dominik André-Lévigne5Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva University, 1205, Geneva, SwitzerlandDepartment of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva University, 1205, Geneva, SwitzerlandDivision of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, SwitzerlandDivision of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, SwitzerlandDepartment of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva University, 1205, Geneva, SwitzerlandDepartment of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva University, 1205, Geneva, Switzerland; Corresponding author at: Dominik André-Lévigne, MD, PhD, Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals, Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland, +41(0)22 372 79 97Summary: Periorbital necrotizing fasciitis is a rare but severe infection that spreads quickly along the fascial planes, often leading to sepsis and is associated with considerable morbidity and high mortality rate. Early recognition is paramount, yet initial symptoms such as localized pain and eyelid swelling are often nonspecific. These are quickly followed by blister formation, periorbital skin and subcutaneous tissue necrosis, and systemic symptoms. Management of necrotizing fasciitis usually involves aggressive surgical debridement alongside broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics. However, this approach is unsuitable for the periorbital area owing to the risks of eyeball exposure, decline in vision, and disfigurement.In this report, we present the case of an 85-year-old male patient who was referred to our clinic for evaluation of a suspected upper eyelid abscess, accompanied by a rapidly worsening decline in his overall clinical condition.The patient underwent 2 surgical debridements of the periorbital area, followed by reconstruction using a combination of a Mustardé cheek advancement flap and full-thickness skin graft. No surgical complications were observed, and the patient achieved aesthetic and functional improvement shortly after definitive reconstruction. Early recognition and debridement are crucial to ensure satisfactory outcomes, while reconstructive surgery techniques allow satisfactory cosmetic results.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352587825000786Eyelidperiorbitalpalpebralnecrotizing fasciitiseyelid reconstruction
spellingShingle Vladimir Mégevand
Jérôme Martineau
Maria Baccaro
Pauline Darbellay Farhoumand
Daniel F. Kalbermatten
Dominik André-Lévigne
Periorbital Necrotizing Fasciitis: Presentation to management
JPRAS Open
Eyelid
periorbital
palpebral
necrotizing fasciitis
eyelid reconstruction
title Periorbital Necrotizing Fasciitis: Presentation to management
title_full Periorbital Necrotizing Fasciitis: Presentation to management
title_fullStr Periorbital Necrotizing Fasciitis: Presentation to management
title_full_unstemmed Periorbital Necrotizing Fasciitis: Presentation to management
title_short Periorbital Necrotizing Fasciitis: Presentation to management
title_sort periorbital necrotizing fasciitis presentation to management
topic Eyelid
periorbital
palpebral
necrotizing fasciitis
eyelid reconstruction
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352587825000786
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AT paulinedarbellayfarhoumand periorbitalnecrotizingfasciitispresentationtomanagement
AT danielfkalbermatten periorbitalnecrotizingfasciitispresentationtomanagement
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