Gangrene – What is it, Symptoms and Treatments!
Gangrene – What it is, Symptoms and Treatments that many are unaware of. In addition, Gangrene is a disease that is greatly feared by many people, it is a serious complication of a necrosis that causes lack of circulation of blood and oxygen in parts of the tissue of the human body. It usually occurs in the extremities of the body, such as the foot, leg, hands and arms, followed by a bacterial infection , resulting in a state of putrefaction.
The most common bacteria in Gangrene is Clostridium Perfringens, however, others can still make the wound their home, increasing the risk of amputation due to the seriousness of the injuries.
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Dry Gangrene: Every organ in your body (like your liver, heart, muscles) needs oxygen to function properly and survive. Oxygen is transported to different parts of your body by your blood .
Gangrene is caused when one part of the body is not getting enough oxygen. Eventually, the body part will begin to deteriorate and die. With dry gangrene , the skin is closed and there is no evidence of infection .
Wet gangrene: Wet gangrene occurs when your body’s tissues become infected with some type of bacteria . Tissues react to the presence of the bacteria , growing moist and brittle. This process causes the death of your tissues. This is more dangerous than dry gangrene because of the possibility of spreading the infection to other parts of the body.
Gas Gangrene: Bacteria called Clostridia cause gas gangrene . This bacteria creates an infection that causes gas bubbles and toxins to develop inside the affected area. The resulting gases cause tissue death. This type of gangrene is rare in the United States. This type of
Gangrene can be fatal.
Causes of Gangrene: Gangrene canhappen from failures in the blood supply to certain regions of the body, causing cells to fail to survive and tissue to die, and/or from abacterial infection .
Symptoms of Gangrene: Sometimes the first sign of Gangrene is a reddish line that develops around the affected tissue. This line can become black.
Other Signs That Could Indicate You Have Gangrene Include:
- A red, painful, or swollen sore ;
- A sore that is filled with pus or has a bad smell;
- An isolated area of your body feels cold;
- Lack of sense of touch in an isolated area;
- Sores that keep coming back to the same place on your body;
- Part of your skin has turned an unusual color (greenish-black, red, blue, or bronze).
It is also possible to experience internal gangrene , which affects your internal tissues or organs. In this case, you may not have symptoms on your skin or limbs. However, you may have pain or an unexplained fever that lasts for a long time, or low blood pressure. You may also experience confusion.
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Gangrene Treatments: Gangrene treatments aredone as follows:
- Antibiotics: Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics if bacteria are present. These are typically given intravenously, or through a needle directly into the bloodstream.
- Vascular Surgery: For people with poor circulation that result in gangrene , vascular surgery (surgery on the arteries or veins) may be recommended to improve the flow of blood through the veins to the body tissues.
- Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber: Placing a person with gas gangrene in a special oxygen-rich environment can slow the growth of bacteria . This allows the skin to begin to heal. It also brings oxygen to the damaged tissue to promote healing.
- Tissue Debridement: In severe cases of gangrene , dead tissue or body part may need to be removed. This process is called debridement. Debridement can be done with surgical tools or chemicals. The goal with this type of surgery is to remove the affected areas so the infection can no longer spread and rid the body of dead tissue. An alternative form of debridement, known as larval debridement, uses fly larvae to eat bacteria and dead tissue. Although rare, this practice can still be used by physicians in the United States and abroad.
- Amputation: For severe cases, amputation of a limb or finger may be necessary to save your life. People who must have part of an arm or leg amputated due to gangrene may be fitted with a prosthesis, or artificial limb, to replace the missing body part.