1 May 2001Case Report
FOURNIER’S GANGRENE: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH
G. Vescio 1M. Battaglia 1L. Sommella 1G. Gallelli 1F. Manzo 1S.F. Cristiano 1A. Valente 1S. Musella 1
Affiliations
Article Info
1 Università degli Studi “Magna Graecia” Catanzaro Chirurgia Generale
Ann. Ital. Chir., 2001, 72(3), 355-359;
Published: 1 May 2001
Copyright © 2001 Annali Italiani di Chirurgia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Abstract
Fournier’s gangrene, a form of necrotizing fasciitis, is an uncommon, fulminant, rapidly progressing subcutaneous infection of the scrotum and genito-perineal region, and may occur in all age groups. Most cases involve a mixed synergistic infection of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, and occur as a result of one of this mechanisms: local trauma, extension from a perineal, periurethral or ischiorectal infection. It is associated with a high mortality rate. Predisposing factors included diabetes mellitus, steroids or chemotherapy, alcohol abuse, malignancy and radiation therapy. This disease requires prompt treatment: early diagnosis, antibiotic therapy, nutritional support, immediate extensive surgical debridement and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The use of etherologue serum is a valuable adjunct in the therapy of Fournier’s gangrene. We report a case of Fournier’s syndrome treated with etherologue serum immuno-therapy, together with the conventional multidisciplinary approach. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient was discharged on day 50 post intervention in good general conditions. The 3 years follow-up showed no recurrence of the desease. In conclusion we remark that the survival can be improved in patients with Fournier’s gangrene by multidisciplinary approach.
Keywords
- Fournier’s gangrene
- fasciitis necrotizing
- hyperbaric oxygen