The authors present an account of their experience with the diagnosis and treatment of necrotizing fasciitis at the ENT Clinic of the Faculty Hospital and policlinic Ostrava in 1995-2001. Of 17 patients 16 were cured without postoperative morbidity. One patient died in a serious septic state with multiorgan failure. Treatment involved multiple longish skin incisions, excisions of necrotic tissue with opening of the collar mediastinum and deep fascial cervical spaces, drainage with wide round drains without primary suture of wounds. In four patients it was necessary to perform urgent tracheotomy on account of oedema of the larynx. Three patients had a ligature and resection of the internal jugular vein on account of thrombophlebitis and in one instance for the same reason anticoagulant treatment was introduced on account of progressing thrombosis in the brachiocephalic vein. The authors discuss the etiopathogenetic factors of the disease and methods of surgical and antimicrobial treatment.

        Key words: necrotizing fasciitis, sepsis, drainage.