Gas gangrene overview
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Gas gangrene Microchapters |
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Gas gangrene overview On the Web |
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American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Gas gangrene overview |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Gas gangrene is a bacterial infection that produces gas in tissues in gangrene. It is a deadly form of gangrene usually caused by Clostridium perfringens bacteria. It is a medical emergency.
Myonecrosis is a condition of necrotic damage, specifically to muscle tissue. It is often seen in infections with Clostridium perfringens or any of myriad soil-borne anaerobic bacteria. Bacteria cause myonecrosis via specific exotoxins. These microorganisms are opportunistic and generally enter the body via significant skin breakage. In wartime particularly, the unhygienic conditions and frequent gross injuries meant that gangrenous infection of soil-borne bacteria was particularly prevalent. Indeed mankind has long suffered the ill-effects of gangrenous infections throughout history.
Other causes of myonecrosis include ischemic necrosis, caused by vascular blockage (e.g. diabetes type II), tumours that block or hoard blood supply and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) or other thromboses.