Mostly, no, mucormycosis cannot heal without surgery. 95% of the mucormycosis patients need both surgery and powerful antifungals to heal.
Mucormycosis is a life-threatening fungal infection that causes rapid fungal growth. To manage effectively, it requires a combination of surgery and antifungal medication. Skipping either one is not an option.
What happens if I don’t treat mucormycosis at all?
Without treatment, the survival rate for mucormycosis is only 5%, and survival without medical intervention is rare. For a patient to survive, their weakened immune system—responsible for the infection—would need to recover rapidly, which is highly unlikely. Black fungus can be fatal within 30 to 60 days, and in severe cases, death can occur within just 10 days. Quick immune recovery is rare, as the underlying conditions that lead to mucormycosis are often chronic and not easily reversed.
The Importance of Surgery in Mucormycosis Treatment
Debridement, the surgical removal of infected tissues, is a surgery for black fungus infection. It is vital in controlling mucormycosis.
When the fungus attacks the tissues, it destroys and replaces healthy tissue with fungus. Non-vital partially infected tissues and vital fully infected tissues are removed. Sometimes, debridement may involve removing more critical structures, like the eyes or jawbone, if they are severely infected. These decisions depends on the extent of the infection and the patient’s overall condition.
Why Antifungal Treatment Alone Isn't Enough for black fungus?
While antifungal medications are crucial for treating mucormycosis, they present certain challenges. These medications are powerful and can lead to severe side effects, especially when administered in high doses. The dosage must align with the fungal load in the body; higher levels of infection require higher doses. However, the body may not always tolerate these high doses effectively. To manage this, doctors monitor the rate at which the fungus grows and perform regular debridement surgeries as needed.
Combining surgery and antifungal treatment is essential. Both approaches are necessary—neither can be skipped—to ensure effective infection control and improved patient outcomes.
How Many Surgeries Might Be Needed for Mucormycosis?
There is no exact number, but according to Dr. K. R. Meghanadh, a minimum of three surgeries are needed to treat black fungus, and this number can go up without limit. Dr. K. R. Meghanadh has done 20 surgeries on one patient for mucormycosis; this is his highest number, and unfortunately, there is nothing stopping the number from going up.
How Often is Surgery Needed?
In the early stages of treatment, debridement may need to be performed daily or every other day to control the infection. Once the infection is better controlled, debridement may be spaced out to every three to four days. The frequency of surgeries depends on how well the infection is managed and the patient's response to treatment.
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