Gangrene (patient information)

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor-In-Chief: Shivali Marketkar, M.B.B.S. [2]; Edzel Lorraine Co, D.M.D., M.D.

Overview

Gangrene is the death of tissue in part of the body due to lack of blood supply.
It is an alarming and life-threatening condition.
There are various types of gangrene.
- Dry gangrene – The tissue gets dry and falls off. This is commonly observed on the fingers and toes.
- Wet gangrene – The tissue looks swollen and with some blisters.
- Gas gangrene – The tissue gets infected with bacteria causing build-up of gas bubbles within it.

Symptoms differ according to the type of gangrene present. Table 1 summarizes the symptoms observed in each type of gangrene.

**Table 1. Symptoms of Gangrene.**
Type	Symptoms
Dry Gangrene	Dry and hard skin and tissue.
Wet Gangrene	Tissue that appears wet, swelling, darkening of the skin, blisters, and putrid smell.
Gas Gangrene	Numbness or heavy feeling in the affected area, confusion, intense pain, body malaise, fever, skin color changes to red, brown, or purple, blisters, and a crackling sound is heard from tissues when pressing it.

The type of test needed is based on the type of gangrene the patient has.
Diagnostic tests that are usually done include:
- Imaging tests such as computed tomography scan (CT scan), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to look for signs of gas inside the body.
- Blood tests to look for signs of infection.
- Blood flow tests to detect the source of problems in the blood vessels and identify its severity.

If numbness is felt on the fingers or toes, a visit to the doctor should be done right away.
Non-healing wounds or any skin changes on the foot in a patient with diabetes should be evaluated as soon as possible.
After surgery, if the patient experiences worsening pain or skin color changes on the affected area, or if the patient starts to feel sick, an urgent visit to the doctor is needed.

Cutting away of dying or dead tissues to prevent spreading of gangrene.
Amputation – A type of surgery wherein removal of the body parts affected with gangrene is done.
Intravenous antibiotic medications

Maintain a normal blood sugar level.
Have a good habit of checking the feet regularly.
Avoid using contaminated heroin or any chemicals that are injected into the body.

The prognosis will depend on the severity of the gangrene.
In some cases, survival is still noted even if a certain body part has fallen off.