Gas gangrene medical therapy
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Gas gangrene Microchapters |
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief:
Overview
Any significantly massive infection is a medical emergency. In cases of gangrene, the infection is so severe by the time that a diagnosis is made that countering the bacterial load is impossible even with the strongest available antibiotics, for example gentamycin and vancomycin. Antibiotics alone are not effective because they don't penetrate ischemic muscles enough to be effective. However, penicillin is given as an adjuvant treatment to surgery.
There are two major reasons for this; current antibiotics only prevent replication of bacteria and the production of toxins continues in pre-existing bacteria. Also, the extent of injury caused by the infection may leave the muscle tissues so damaged that the body will never be able to replace the lost structures (including vasculature).
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