What is Gas Gangrene?

Gas gangrene is a rare and form of gangrene that causes death of tissue from a bacterial infection. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, gas gangrene is caused by the bacteria Clostridium perfringens and can be caused by Group A streptococcus. Gas gangrene is a serious medical condition that can be fatal is not treated immediately after infection occurs.

What is gangrene?

According to the Mayo Clinic, gangrene is the result of decay and death of tissue from a disruption of blood flow to the infected area. Gangrene is more common among people who have conditions that restrict blood flow, but it can also be caused by open, untreated wounds. Gas gangrene is a form of gangrene that is caused from a bacterial infection. Gas gangrene is a rare form of infection due to medical advances that treat open wounds and prevent infection.

When does a gas gangrene infection occur?

The infection typically occurs after a recent surgery or similar traumatic event where exposed tissue is present. Gas gangrene symptoms are often quick to happen without much warning and 1 in 5 cases occur without any sort of irritating event, states the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Infection and History

Infection of gas gangrene is rare in the United States, but common in less developed nations and during wartime. The bacteria thrive on open wounds during combat that are not initially treated by surgeons within 24-hours of infection. According to emedicine.com, cases of gas gangrene dropped from 1% of all open wounds in WWI to less than 0.7% during WWII, and dropped to a mere .002% during the Vietnam War. The reduced rate of infection is because of medical advances and quick treatment of wounded soldiers during the later wars.

Symptoms

Symptoms of gas gangrene consist of, sudden onset of pain after the initial infection, gradual pain as the infection spreads, a gas like bubble underneath the infected area, mousy odor around the wound, fever and tenderness. After the bacterial infection develops, hypotension, renal failure, and paradoxical heightening of mental acuity occur, states emedicine.com.

Treatment

Treatment for gas gangrene consists of use of antibiotics in the form of antibiotic therapy. A combination of penicillin and clindamycin are currently the most common antibiotics used for treatment of gas gangrene. Because gas gangrene can be severe and sometimes fatal, patients with serious cases are hospitalized for treatment of both the gangrene and complications. Gas gangrene is rarely fatal if treated in the early stages before serious symptoms can develop.

*The information presented in this article is in no way meant to diagnose gas gangreen or its symptoms. It should be used for reference only and does not replace the advice of a medical professional.

Sources:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gangrene/DS00993

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/217943-treatment

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000620.htm