Woman was left in an eight day coma after a scratch by her bra caused a flesh-eating bug
A woman was left in an eight-day coma after contracting a flesh-eating bug which was caused by a scratch from her bra.
Sylvia Halcrow, 53, from Lerwick, Shetland, Scotland, believes the metal in her underwire bra caused the initial injury, which developed into dangerous bacterial infection necrotising fasciitis.
After visiting her local GP and being given painkillers, the civil servant rushed herself A&E when her condition deteriorated.
Doctors did days of tests on an abscess on her right breast, and she was diagnosed with the disease, and says she was told her organs had started shutting down.
Halcrow had surgery and woke from an induced coma eight days later with some of her breast removed, and a 15-inch scar running from her ribs to under her arm.
"I came very close to not surviving it at all so I'm very grateful indeed," Halcrow explains.
"It's scary to think this could have been caused by my bra.
"I've swapped to a different style now without underwiring just in case."
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Though she describes it as difficult having so much of her breast removed, explaining that it "doesn't always look very nice, especially in summery dresses", Halcrow is happy to have her health.
"The main thing is that I'm alive and here to tell the tale," she explains.
Halcrow's ordeal began in May 2022 when she noticed a lump on her breast which quickly turned into a "painful abscess".
Over a few days it became more painful despite her taking an antibiotic prescription from her doctor.
"I just knew something wasn't right, so I took myself to A&E as I was in so much pain," she says.
"When I walked in the nurse looked at me and rushed me straight though.
"I was totally grey in the face. It was really scary.
"They did lots of tests and pumped me with medicine and pain relief, but nothing was helping.
"The doctors were stumped for a few days, so I didn't know what was going to happen."
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After two days in Gilbert Bain Hospital, Halcrow was prepped for surgery to remove the abscess at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, on May 5, 2022.
"They put me into an induced coma, and I had two operations to remove the flesh-eating bug," she says.
"Looking back, I'm actually glad I was unconscious as I think I'd have been really traumatised."
She woke from an induced coma eight days later.
"I was medically quite stable when I came out of my coma, although emotionally I was hugely disorientated," she explains.
After three more weeks in hospital, Halcrow was allowed home and returned to work four months later.
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She has since raised £2k for the Lee Spark foundation, a necrotising fasciitis charity, by holding a session at the local agricultural auction and is adjusting to life following the infection.
"I don't always feel my best now in certain clothes as there's a lot of boob missing, things don't hang quite right," she explains.
"But I'm so glad I'm alive after nearly not making it, so I force myself to think positively."
Although she can't say for sure if it was her bra that initially caused the scratch, she has decided not to wear bras with underwire moving forward.
"It's just not worth the risk," she adds.
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What is Necrotising fasciitis?
The NHS says Necrotising fasciitis, also known as the "flesh-eating disease", is a rare and life-threatening infection that can happen if a wound gets infected.
The infection may get into the body through:
cuts and scratches
burns and scalds
insect bites
surgery
injecting drugs
The infection can be fatal so needs to be treated in hospital straight away.
intense pain or loss of feeling near to a cut or wound – the pain may seem much worse than you would usually expect from a cut or wound
swelling of the skin around the affected area
flu-like symptoms, such as a high temperature, headache and tiredness
Later symptoms can include:
being sick (vomiting) and diarrhoea
confusion
black, purple or grey blotches and blisters on the skin (these may be less obvious on black or brown skin)
antibiotics
surgery to remove the affected area
Sometimes amputation of affected limbs is needed.
You may need further surgery and physiotherapy to help you recover.
Additional reporting SWNS.
