Dry gangrene is sometimes called mummification. It starts more slowly than wet gangrene, and it is most commonly associated with chronic disease, including diabetes. The skin becomes dry, shriveled, and usually dark in color, ranging from brown to purplish-blue and feels cool or cold to touch.
Blood vessel diseases such as atherosclerosis commonly cause dry gangrene. In wet or moist gangrene, the skin swells and blisters form and may rupture. Pus may appear. It is generally associated with infection of the dead tissue. Wet gangrene can develop following a severe burn or frostbite. This type of gangrene can occur in people with diabetes who have an injury but do not notice or attend to it due to diabetic neuropathy.
Gas gangrene, also called clostridial myonecrosis, is a particularly virulent form of wet gangrene. It is associated with poorly cleansed wounds. It sometimes results from surgery in which the blood supply has become damaged.
Dry forms result from a progressive loss of blood supply to tissues. Dry forms can become wet forms if they develop a bacterial infection. All forms of gangrene happen because of a loss of blood supply to a certain area. Anyone can develop gangrene, particularly after a serious injury, but there are certain groups of people who are more at risk.
The earlier treatment for gangrene begins, the more successful it's likely to be. The main treatments include surgery to remove damaged tissue, known as debridement, and antibiotics to treat any underlying infection. In more severe cases, it may be necessary to remove an entire body part such as a toe, foot, or lower leg. This is known as amputation. Bacteria gather in an injury or surgical wound that has no blood supply. The bacterial infection produces toxins that release gas and cause tissue death.
Like wet gangrene, gas gangrene is a life-threatening condition. Internal gangrene. Gangrene that affects one or more of your organs, such as your intestines, gallbladder or appendix, is called internal gangrene. This type of gangrene occurs when blood flow to an internal organ is blocked — for example, when your intestines bulge through a weakened area of muscle in your stomach area hernia and become twisted.
Gangrene can lead to serious complications if it's not immediately treated. Bacteria can spread quickly to other tissues and organs. You may need to have a body part removed amputated to save your life. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products.
Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Gangrene is death of body tissue due to a lack of blood flow or a serious bacterial infection.
Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Gangrene of the hand and foot Open pop-up dialog box Close. In serious gangrene cases, the dead tissue or body part may need to be removed. This process is called debridement. Debridement can be done with surgical tools or with chemicals. The goal of this type of surgery is to remove the affected areas to prevent the spread of infection and rid the body of the dead tissue.
One alternative form of debridement, known as maggot debridement, uses fly larvae to eat away bacteria and dead tissue. Though rare, this practice can still be used by physicians in the United States and abroad.
Doctors are sometimes able to restore the flow of oxygen to the affected area. Skin grafts can repair any damaged tissue. This procedure uses a piece of your healthy skin from elsewhere on the body to cover the damaged area.
For severe cases, amputation of a limb, finger, or toe could be necessary to save your life. People who must have part of an arm or leg amputated due to gangrene may be fitted with a prosthesis, or artificial limb, to replace the missing body part. Gangrene can sometimes be treated without serious complications, especially if it is caught early.
To keep more tissue from dying, gangrene must be treated early to minimize the damage. People who have diabetes or a blood vessel disease should regularly check their hands and feet for gangrene symptoms. Watch for:. Taking antibiotics before or after having surgery, under the care of your doctor, may help you prevent the development of gangrenous infections. Blood poisoning is a serious infection. It occurs when bacteria are in the bloodstream. Despite its name, the infection has nothing to do with poison….
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