Gangrene Flashcards
What is gangrene.
Gangrene is death of tissue from poor vascular supply.
What is gangrene a sign of.
Critical ischaemia.
What is the typical appearance of a gangrenous tissue. (2)
Tissues are black and may slough.
What is dry gangrene.
It is necrosis in the absence of infection.
What is often seen in dry gangrene.
A line of demarcation between the living and dead tissue.
What is wet gangrene.
Tissue death and infection occurring together.
What is associated with wet gangrene.
Tissue discharge.
What is gas gangrene.
It is a subset of necrotizing myositis caused by spore forming clostridial species.
What is involved in gas gangrene. (5)
There is rapid onset of: Myonecrosis. Muscle swelling. Gas production. Sepsis. Severe pain.
What are the risk factors for gas gangrene. (5)
Diabetes. Trauma (penetrating injuries). Malignancy. IVDU. Following abdominal surgery.
What is a typical causative organism of gas gangrene.
Clostridium perfringens.
What is gas gangrene historically associated with.
Battlefield wounds.
What typically occurs in gas gangrene infection.
Systemic symptoms.
