The double doors of the OR opened with a bang as the bed was pushed through. Meanwhile, dressed in the usual green scrub suit, Dr. Good Hands walked toward the scrub sink. His backup surgeon was beside him, performing the surgical scrub.

“I’m not sure what we are going to find. This is that transfer from Willamette Valley Medical Center.”

“Necrotizing fasciitis is never pretty.”

Sharp debridement can produce rapid results. It requires a high level of skill and experience. Practitioners must have the necessary knowledge and training to complete the task safely and effectively. They should also be able to deal with the many possible complications as they arise.

“Scalpel,” he said as he stepped back to the table. With scalpel in hand, he took a delicate slice of the grayish, dead tissue. He had been using his surgical skills for over twenty years. He knew the anatomy of the human body very well. He didn’t want to take any muscle if he didn’t have to. He knew exactly how deep to make the cut.

“Suction,” he commanded.

The scrub nurse was ready, and guided the suction tube over the open wound. The machine gurgled as the rusty blood and pieces of dead flesh traveled through the plastic hose.

“Reposition,” he barked. He handed the scalpel back to the scrub nurse and stepped away from the table.

The scrub nurse glanced up and noticed the sweet drops forming on his forehead. Using a sterile cloth, she wiped it dry. He had completed the procedure on the front side. He was waiting for the team to reposition her, so he could start on the worst part. He glanced up at the clock; two hours had passed. A slight smile crossed his face; he was working at record speed. The smile soon disappeared as he thought about the sepsis and what he might find.

Dead tissue acts as a medium for bacterial growth. He was working with excessive inflammatory response, which is a result from the presence of necrotic material, that adds to the systemic release of cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor, and interleukins which promote the septic response.

“Scalpel,” he called as he approached the operating table. With scalpel in hand, he made a bold cut along the edge of the soft tissue. He removed a large section of the grayish-black dead tissue. He could see that the bacteria had already made their way further along the skin. One problem with this type of disease is time. The bacteria form bonds with each other. They systematically attach themselves to the healthy tissue. They smother this tissue to death, by starving it of vital oxygen.

“Suction,” he commanded as he removed his hands from the wound area.

In these cases, the surgeon is like a general in the army. The bacteria, the dreaded enemy. They are stealthy, and hide under the skin. They are quick, and spread rapidly. They can travel along the paths of the subcutaneous tissue, and attack in another area. They leave behind, in their wake, a deadly byproduct. This byproduct causes disturbances in other parts of the body. Time is their friend; the more time they have, the more casualties they have.

The surgeon has one weapon, the scalpel. He has to rely mostly on his knowledge and his skill. The surgeon has to think and act fast. He has to find and cut the enemy off. He has to get behind the enemy lines, and destroy their home base.

The scrub nurse dabs the sweat from his brow with a sterile cloth.

He makes another radical slice, eliminating the gray flesh, to expose the fresh meat of the muscle. He will try and save as much of the tissue as he can. Yet, wanting to eradicate the enemy, he will take everything that he has to.

This is a tale of a vicious disease that has a preference for human flesh, and an appetite that surpasses the worst of nightmares.   However, this is not a Hollywood horror movie. This one is made by Mother Nature, and is very, very real.....   This is a story of one such real case.   Learn how this near death experience changed there lives forever...... for the better.   Contains Information on the various bacteria that can cause MRSA.