According to the National Institutes of Health, gangrene is "the death of tissue in part of the body." Sustained loss of blood supply to part of the body may have catastrophic effects as cells, lacking oxygen as well as nutrients and antibodies for the immune system, die off. The possible consequences of gangrene may include amputation, emergency surgery (perhaps several times) to remove dead tissue, weeks in intensive care, and perhaps even death if the gangrene has spread widely, is treated too late, or is complicated by other illness or medical condition. Sometimes accompanied by a bacterial infection with a risk of septic shock, gangrene most commonly attacks the fingers, toes or limbs but can also occur internally.
Types
The Mayo Clinic describes several types of gangrene, including dry gangrene, which dries, shrivels and blackens the skin; wet gangrene caused by bacterial infection, swelling and blistering skin and spreading with dangerous speed; gas gangrene in deep muscle tissue, which eventually rises to the skin and causes paleness that progresses to a gray or purple-red color with bubbling that crackles when pressed (due to gas released from a bacterial infection); internal gangrene that affects organs including the intestines, gallbladder or appendix as a result of blocked blood flow, accompanied by severe pain and fever; and Fournier's gangrene, an infection-caused genital gangrene affecting primarily men. Wet gangrene and gas gangrene are considered to be especially life-threatening.
Causes
Loss of blood supply to part of the body and resulting gangrene can be caused by a variety of factors, including major injuries, infections, blood vessel diseases such as arteriosclerosis, diabetes, immune system disorders such as HIV (or the side effects of chemotherapy), or complications from surgery.
Symptoms
General indicators of gangrene in the body can include mysterious pain that does not go away, lasting fever, wounds that refuse to heal, recurrent sores that may have foul-smelling discharge, or skin that turns blue-black, goes numb after pain, or exhibits a frostbite-like appearance described by the Mayo Clinic as "pale, hard, cold and numb." Specific symptoms of internal gangrene include confusion, palpable gas beneath the skin and low blood pressure.
Diabetic Concerns
People who suffer from diabetes or other blood vessel diseases such as atherosclerosis are at special risk for developing gangrene. These patients should regularly examine their feet for skin color changes or signs of injury or infection.
Treatments
Treatments for gangrene include antibiotics and also surgery to remove dead tissue. The outlook is good when gangrene is diagnosed and treated quickly, but delaying treatment can allow the gangrene to spread, putting the sufferer at grave risk. If any gangrene-like symptoms appear, call a physician immediately.
