Although toxic shock syndrome is rare, it is a potentially fatal condition. Therefore, patients displaying possible symptoms should be managed in a thorough and timely manner.
Toxic Shock Syndrome: Way Beyond Tampons
Patients with toxic shock syndrome are usually admitted to hospital. While in the hospitals, patients may need intensive care for the necessary interventions including intravenous antibiotics, ventilation and symptomatic support.
Removal of foreign body
The initial step in the management of a patient with toxic shock syndrome is to remove any material that may be responsible for the growth of the infection.
Women who are menstruating and using a tampon are commonly associated with this illness; therefore, any tampon should be removed immediately. Other materials, such as vaginal sponges or nasal packing should also be removed if present.
Drainage of infection
Following the removal of foreign materials from the body, the infection site should be drained to reduce the colonization of the bacteria. If the majority of the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria is drained out of the body, the toxins it produces will not affect the body and cause symptoms of shock.
Recent surgery sites may be responsible for causing toxic shock syndrome and should be drained. In most cases, wound drainage and cleaning is sufficient. However, in severe cases, surgical removal of body tissue may be necessary.
Antibiotic administration
As bacteria are the primary cause of toxic shock syndrome, antibiotics are indicated to help control the infection. Given the severity of the condition, such that it can be fatal in a matter of hours, antibiotics are routinely administered intravenously to provide faster and more comprehensive results.
Some patients may also require administration of immunoglobulin in addition to the antibiotics. This contains concentrated antibodies from donated human blood that helps to fight the toxins produced by the bacteria that are causing the symptoms.
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Other management techniques
Each patient suffering from toxic shock syndrome presents with a unique situation that needs specific management to be addressed. As a result, there are various other management techniques that are widely used in the treatment of toxic shock syndrome, but are not necessary for all cases.
The intravenous administration of fluids is commonly practiced to prevent dehydration. This is particularly useful to prevent organ damage as a result of toxic shock syndrome.
Some patients may experience severe malfunction of the kidney, such that they are unable to successfully filter urine of their own accord. In this instance, dialysis may be required to help them filter urine and excrete unneeded electrolytes.
Blood pressure can also vary considerably as a result of the shock, which may indicate the need of specific medications to manage this effect of the infection.
Additionally, some patients require hyperbaric oxygen administration to help support breathing and ensure adequate supply of oxygen to the bodily organs.
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