In this case, you may not have any symptoms on your skin or limbs. However, you may have pain, an unexplained fever that lasts a long time, or low blood pressure. You may also experience confusion.
Your doctor may suspect that you have gangrene based on your medical history and symptoms. They may also use a combination of additional diagnostic methods to determine your condition. A scraping of tissue from your affected body part may be examined with a microscope to look for dead cells. Some kinds of imaging are helpful in diagnosing the spread of gangrene in your internal tissues.
An anarteriogram test may be performed if doctors suspect that your gangrene is related to a circulatory problem. This test uses X-rays to monitor the flow of a special dye through your arteries, showing whether any arteries are blocked. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics if bacteria are present.
These are typically given intravenously, or through a needle directly into the bloodstream. For people with poor circulation that results in gangrene, vascular surgery surgery on the arteries or veins may be recommended in order to improve the flow of blood through the veins to body tissues.
Placing a person with gas gangrene in a special oxygen-rich environment can slow the growth of bacteria. This allows the skin to begin healing. It also brings oxygen to the damaged tissue to promote healing. In serious gangrene cases, the dead tissue or body part may need to be removed. This process is called debridement. Debridement can be done with surgical tools or with chemicals.
The goal of this type of surgery is to remove the affected areas to prevent the spread of infection and rid the body of the dead tissue. One alternative form of debridement, known as maggot debridement, uses fly larvae to eat away bacteria and dead tissue. Though rare, this practice can still be used by physicians in the United States and abroad.
Doctors are sometimes able to restore the flow of oxygen to the affected area. Skin grafts can repair any damaged tissue. This procedure uses a piece of your healthy skin from elsewhere on the body to cover the damaged area. For severe cases, amputation of a limb, finger, or toe could 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. Gangrene can sometimes be treated without serious complications, especially if it is caught early.
To keep more tissue from dying, gangrene must be treated early to minimize the damage. People who have diabetes or a blood vessel disease should regularly check their hands and feet for gangrene symptoms. Watch for:. Dry gangrene. McGraw Hill; Accessed Jan. Stevens D, et al. Clostridial myonecrosis.
Jameson JL, et al. Gas gangrene and other clostridial infections. In: Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. Mechem CC, et al. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Novara E, et al. European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences. Kang S, et al. Necrotizing fasciitis, necrotizing cellulitis, and myonecrosis. In: Fitzpatrick's Dermatology. Papadakis MA, et al.
Bacterial and chlamydial infections. Singh P, et al. Dermatologic Therapy. Conte MS, et al. Global vascular guidelines on the management of chronic limb-threatening ischemia. European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. Gangrene is a dangerous and potentially fatal condition that happens when the blood flow to a large area of tissue is cut off. This causes the tissue to break down and die. Gangrene often turns the affected skin a greenish-black color. However, the word gangrene is not related to the color green, but to the condition itself.
It comes from Greek and Latin words for a gnawing sore or decayed tissue. Chronic diseases that harm the circulatory system include diabetes, peripheral artery disease, and Raynaud's disease. These can often lead to gangrene. Traumatic injuries like burns or an infected dog bite may also stop blood flow. Severe cases where the skin freezes frostbite can also lead to gangrene.
Skin infections, injuries, burns, dog bites, and frostbite also put people at risk for gangrene. Symptoms of gangrene depend on its location and cause. Dry gangrene usually starts with a red line around the affected area. This area then turns dry and black.
The earlier gangrene is treated, the more successful the treatment is likely to be. So if you have any of the above symptoms, seek immediate medical attention. If you have symptoms of gangrene, your healthcare team will give you a physical exam to check for signs of tissue death.
They may also ask you about any chronic health conditions you have that could be linked to the gangrene. Your healthcare provider may also want to do lab tests to check for gangrene. A higher than normal amount of white blood cells, for example, can mean you have an infection. Your healthcare provider may take samples of tissue or fluid from the affected area and look at in the lab.
If your healthcare provider thinks you may have internal gangrene, he or she may order imaging tests or surgery to find out for sure. Because gangrene can spread rapidly over a large area of the body, the amount of dead tissue can be quite large. Treating these large areas may result in:. You can help prevent gangrene by carefully watching any wounds you have and getting immediate attention if signs of infection develop. Gangrene is a medical emergency.
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