Introduction:

necrotizing fasciitis is a rare, destructive and rapidly progressive bacterial infection of the subcutaneous tissues and superficial fascia that in the most advanced stages involves the skin and is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates.

Objectives:

to describe cervicofacial necrotizing fasciitis of odontogenic origin and its main causes and predisposing factors.

Methods:

an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional, descriptive study was carried out in the General Hospital of Benguela, Angola, from April 2014 to April 2016. The entire population was studied, which consisted by 77 patients who were assisted in this center with a diagnosis of cervicofacial odontogenic necrotizing necrotizing cervicofacial fasciitis. The study variables were sex, age groups, predisposing factors, outpatient treatment, hemoglobin on admission, dental infectious focus and clinical characteristics. Descriptive statistics were used. The information was extracted from the medical records.

Results:

73% of all cases were male, 12 patients with systemic diseases developed cervicofacial necrotizing fasciitis, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were used in 94.8% of patients, hemoglobin was low in 88.3% of cases and 80% of patients arrived at the hospital with advanced disease.

Conclusions:

the main cause of cervicofacial necrotizing fasciitis was septic foci of dental origin. This disease is related to simple processes that were not adequately treated in the community.

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