Gangrene

Gangrene is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that arises when a considerable mass of body tissue dies. This may occur after an injury or infection, or in people suffering from any chronic health problem affecting blood circulation.

The prime cause of gangrene is reduced blood supply to the affected tissues, which results in cell death. Diabetes and long-term smoking increase the risk of suffering from gangrene.

There are different types of gangrene with different symptoms, such as dry gangrene, wet gangrene, gas gangrene, internal gangrene and necrotising fasciitis.

Treatment options include debridement (or, in severe cases, amputation) of the affected body parts, antibiotics, vascular surgery, maggot therapy or hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Treatment is usually surgical debridement, with amputation necessary in many cases. Antibiotics alone are not effective because they do not penetrate infected muscles sufficiently.

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