Gas gangrene

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Gas gangrene

Antibodies

Overview

Symptoms

Treatment

Prevention

Gas gangrene

Alternative Names:

Tissue infection - Clostridial; Gangrene - gas; Myonecrosis; Clostridial infection of tissues

Treatment:

Prompt surgical removal of dead, damaged, and infected tissue (debridement) is necessary. Amputation of an arm or leg may be indicated to control the spread of infection.

Antibiotics, preferably penicillin-type, should be given. Initially, this is given intravenously (through a vein). Analgesics may be required to control pain. Hyperbaric oxygen has been tried with varying degrees of success.

Expectations (prognosis):

Gas gangrene is progressive and often lethal. Immediate medical attention is required.

Complications:

disfiguring or disabling permanent tissue damage
jaundice with liver damage
kidney failure
spread of infection through the body (sepsis)
shock
stupor
delirium
coma

Calling your health care provider:

Call your heath care provider if signs of infection occur at any time around a skin wound -- including pain, swelling, redness, drainage of pus or blood, fever, or similar symptoms.

Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number (such as 911), if symptoms indicate gas gangrene. This is an emergency condition requiring immediate medical attention!

Review Date: 2/13/2006
Reviewed By: Monica Gandhi, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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