What is the pathology of gangrene?
Gangrene is a lesion of ischemic tissue death. Typically, the acral skin of the hand and foot accompanies numbness, pain, coolness, swelling, and the skin color changes to reddish black. When severe infection is associated, fever and sepsis may follow.
What is the pathophysiology of dry gangrene?
Dry gangrene results from a gradual decrease in the blood supply (as from diabetes or arteriosclerosis) in the affected area, often an extremity. The diseased part may at first be discoloured and cold to the touch; later it becomes distinct from nearby healthy tissue, turning dark and dry.
What is difference necrosis and gangrene?
Gangrene is dead tissue (necrosis) consequent to ischemia. In the image above, we can see a black area on half of the big toe in a diabetic patient. This black area represents necrosis—dead tissue—in fact, gangrene of the big toe.
What is the cause of gangrene?
Gangrene can develop when the supply of blood to an area of your body is interrupted. This can occur as the result of an injury, an infection, or an underlying condition that affects your circulation.
Is necrotic tissue always gangrene?
For this reason, it is often necessary to remove necrotic tissue surgically, a process known as debridement. When substantial areas of tissue become necrotic due to lack of blood supply, this is known as gangrene.
What color is gangrene?
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.
What are the three types of gangrene?
Gangrene is a clinical condition of ischemic and necrotic tissue, often circumferential around a digit or extremity. It is identified by discolored or black tissue and associated sloughing of natural tissue planes. The three main types of gangrene are wet gangrene, dry gangrene, and gas gangrene.
What causes gangrenous necrosis?
Causes. Gangrene is caused by a critically insufficient blood supply (e.g., peripheral vascular disease) or infection. It is associated with diabetes and long-term tobacco smoking.
Can gangrene heal itself?
Gangrene is usually curable in the early stages with intravenous antibiotic treatment and debridement. Without treatment, gangrene may lead to a fatal infection.
What does early stage gangrene look like?
Skin discoloration — ranging from pale to blue, purple, black, bronze or red, depending on the type of gangrene you have. Swelling. Blisters. Sudden, severe pain followed by a feeling of numbness.