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Gangrene - Gangrene symptom, treatment, causes

Gangrene occurs due to the death of tissue that occurs when its arterial blood supply is cut off and bacteria grow in it. GangIene can affect areas of skin, fingers. toes, larger parts of a limb or part of the intestine. Causes include injury; blood vessel disease in Diabetes Mellitus; blocking of the artery to the affected part by foreign matter in the bloodstream: and FROSTBITE.

Gangrene is the death of living cells or tissues of the body. There are two types of gangrene: Dry gangrene and Wet gangrene. Gas gangrene is a severe form of gangrene. Gas gangrene may be caused by C. perfringens. Gangrene occurring in a wound infected with bacteria of the genus clostridium and may be characterized by the presence of gas in the affected tissue. Gangrene occurs when the blood supply to part of the body is cut off. This depletes the tissues of oxygen and they begin to die. Gangrene usually affects the extremities, such as the toes, feet, legs, fingers, hands, and arms. It may also occur in other parts of the body, including the abdomen or intestines. It usually occurs after trauma or surgery. Bacterial invasion and putrefaction lead to wet gangrene, when the part becomes black, moist and bad-smelling. When there is no putrefaction the condition is called dry gangrene. If gangrene occurs, every effort is made to restore the blood supply to prevent further tissue death. The black shell of dry gangrene will often be shed, leaving healthy tissues beneath. The onset of gas gangrene is sudden and dramatic. Inflammation begins at the site of infection as a pale-to-brownish-red and extremely painful tissue swelling. Gas may be felt in the tissue as a crackly sensation when the swollen area is pressed with the fingers. Patients who develop this disease spontaneously often have underlying vascular disease, diabetes, or colon cancer.

In gas gangrene, bacteria caued clostridia, which can live without oxygen and produce gas and toxin, infect wet gangrene or a deep wound where there is poor blood supply. Gas gangrene generally occurs at the site of trauma or a recent surgical wound. About a third of cases occur spontaneously. Patients who develop this disease spontaneously often have underlying blood vessel disease, diabetes, or colon cancer. It can occur in atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, or decubitus ulcer, and after severe burns or frostbite. Clostridium bacteria produce many different toxins, four of which may be caused potentially fatal syndromes. If untreated, the individual develops a shock-like syndrome with decreased blood pressure, renal failure, coma, and finally death. Because gangrene spreads rapidly, immediate treatment is essential. The goal is to prevent infection from spreading. Any dead tissue must be removed at once. Gangrene may be prevented if a harmful process is treated before the tissue damage is irreversible. Wounds should be treated properly and observed for signs of infection or failure to heal. Treatment is usually surgical debridement and excision with amputation necessary in many cases. Antibiotics alone are not effective because they do not penetrate ischemic muscles sufficiently. However, penicillin is given as an adjuvant treatment to surgery.

Causes of Gangrene

The common causes and risk factor's of Gangrene include the following:

• A blockage of blood to an organ or tissue.
• A ruptured appendix caused by appendicitis.
• Infection of wounds, especially deep wounds.
• Smoking and drinking alcohol.
• Trauma or injury, such as frostbite, boils, crush injuries, and severe burns, that destroys tissues in the body.
• Loss of blood supply.

Symptoms of Gangrene

Some sign and symptoms related to Gangrene are as follows:

• Fever and sweating.
• Drainage from the tissues.
• Blood pressure.
• Moderate to high fever.
• Frothy, watery, foul smelling discharge.
• Increased heart rate.
• Decreased activity.
• Progressive swelling around a skin injury.

Treatment of Gangrene

Here is list of the methods for treating Gangrene:

• Analgesics may be required to control pain.
• Hyperbaric oxygen has been tried with varying degrees of success.
• Blood thinners to prevent blood clots may also be prescribed.
• Amputating the affected body part.
• Prompt surgical removal of dead, damaged, and infected tissue is necessary. Amputation of an arm or leg may be indicated to control the spread of infection.
• An operation to improve blood supply to the area.

If gangrene occurs, every effort is made to restore the blood supply to prevent further tissue death. The black shell of dry gangrene will often be shed, leaving healthy tissues beneath. Wet gangrene must be treated with antibiotics to prevent the spread of infection, and often the affected part must be amputated.