Girl Undergoes 2nd Skin Graft to Fight Flesh-Eating Bacteria

NORTHRIDGE — Rosa Olvera, the 11-month-old Oxnard girl stricken by flesh-eating bacteria, underwent a second major skin graft operation Wednesday to cover the massive physical damage wrought by the infection.

Surgeons at Northridge Hospital Medical Center removed healthy skin from her buttocks and grafted it over her right chest, side and back, the area ravaged by the deadly bacteria. She was reported in critical but stable condition Wednesday night.

Earlier this month, doctors grafted cadaver skin over Rosa’s wounds to ward off possible infection. The cadaver skin is used temporarily and was replaced with grafts of Rosa’s healthy skin.

The bacteria, known as necrotizing fasciitis, destroyed 20% of Rosa’s skin. Surgeons also removed strips of her muscle and fatty tissue destroyed by the infection.