Cambridge Study Analyses Necrotising Fasciitis After Suffolk Woman's Near-Fatal Infection
A woman from Suffolk has detailed her harrowing ordeal with necrotising fasciitis, a rare and aggressive bacterial infection, which is now informing medical research at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.
Caroline Fonjock, 45, initially dismissed a 'boil' in her groin as a routine urinary infection. However, within 36 hours, her condition deteriorated critically, leading to a state of semi-consciousness and severe vomiting. Doctors at Addenbrooke's diagnosed necrotising fasciitis, an infection that rapidly destroys tissue beneath the skin, necessitating immediate, life-saving surgery.
Rapid Progression and Critical Care
Ms Fonjock, who lives near Haverhill, Suffolk, has Type 2 diabetes and a history of infections, but described the speed of this infection as "phenomenal." In April 2021, the 'boil' began to track up her leg, feeling like a "hardened tube." A consultant informed her that without immediate surgery and multiple skin grafts, she faced death by morning. Surgeons removed a substantial part of her leg to halt the infection's spread. She later described images of the surgical site as looking "like roadkill."
Following the operation, Ms Fonjock spent two weeks in an intensive care unit, where she was in a coma and her organs began to fail. Her husband, Lionel, expressed the profound difficulty of explaining the gravity of the situation to their daughters, who faced the possibility of their mother not returning home. Upon regaining consciousness, Ms Fonjock had a tracheotomy and had lost fine motor skills, necessitating a lengthy rehabilitation to relearn basic movements like writing and walking.
Research Aims to Improve Diagnosis
Ms Fonjock is one of 87 patients included in a 10-year study at Addenbrooke's, examining cases between January 2015 and March 2025. Researchers found that age and underlying conditions such as heart or kidney disease significantly increase the risk of death. The study also highlighted that while high white blood cell counts typically signal infection, a low count in severe cases can indicate an overwhelmed immune system. The findings, published in the Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, aim to enhance early recognition of the condition.
Charles Loh, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, emphasised the severity of necrotising fasciitis, stating it carries a "one in four chance of death within 30 days" and rapidly progresses, often requiring organ support in intensive care. Ms Fonjock attributes her survival to the prompt actions of NHS medics, particularly given her proximity to Addenbrooke's Hospital.
