Gas gangrene
2685011
221994388
2008-06-27T01:26:26Z
Sabedon
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/* External links */ [[Category:Microbiology]]
{{Infobox_Disease |
Name = Gas gangrene |
Image = |
Caption = |
DiseasesDB = 31141 |
ICD10 = {{ICD10|A|48|0|a|30}} |
ICD9 = {{ICD9|040.0}} |
ICDO = |
OMIM = |
MedlinePlus = |
eMedicineSubj = med |
eMedicineTopic = 843 |
eMedicine_mult = {{eMedicine2|emerg|211}} {{eMedicine2|med|394}} |
MeshID = D005738 |
}}
'''Gas gangrene''' is a [[bacteria]]l [[infection]] that produces [[gas]] within [[biological tissue|tissue]]s in [[gangrene]]. It is a deadly form of gangrene usually caused by [[Clostridium]] bacteria. It is a [[medical emergency]].
==Features==
Gas gangrene can cause [[myonecrosis]], gas production, and [[sepsis]]. Progression to [[toxemia]] and [[Shock (medical)|shock]] is often very rapid.
==Pathophysiology==
Gas gangrene is caused by [[exotoxin]]-producing [[Clostridium|Clostridial]] species (most often ''[[Clostridium perfringens]]''), which is mostly found in soil but also found as normal [[gut flora]], and other [[anaerobe]]s (e.g. ''[[Bacteroides]]'' and anaerobic [[Streptococcus|streptococci]]). The exotoxin is commonly found in ''C. perfringens'' type A strain and is known as [[Clostridium perfringens alpha toxin|alpha toxin]]. These environmental bacteria may enter the muscle through a wound and go on to proliferate in necrotic tissue and secrete powerful toxins. These toxins destroy nearby tissue, generating gas at the same time.
A gas composition of 5.9% hydrogen, 3.4% carbon dioxide, 74.5% nitrogen and 16.1% oxygen was reported in one clinical case.<ref>{{note|Chi}}{{cite journal | author=Chi CH, Chen KW, Huang JJ, Chuang YC, Wu MH | title=Gas composition in Clostridium septicum gas gangrene | journal=J Formos Med Assoc | year=1995 | pages=757–9 | volume=94 | issue=12 | pmid=8541740}}</ref>
==Treatment==
Treatment is usually [[debridement]] and [[excision]] with amputation necessary in many cases. [[Antibiotic]]s alone are not effective because they don't penetrate [[ischemic]] [[muscle]]s enough to be effective. However, penicillin is given as an [[adjuvant treatment]] to surgery. In addition to surgery and antibiotics, [[hyperbaric oxygen therapy]] (HBOT) is used and acts to inhibit the growth of and kill the anaerobic C. perfringens.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Hart GB, Strauss MB |title=Gas Gangrene - Clostridial Myonecrosis: A Review |journal=J. Hyperbaric Med |volume=5 |issue=2 |pages=125–144 |year=1990 |url=http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/4428 |accessdate=2008-05-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Zamboni WA, Riseman JA, Kucan JO |title=Management of Fournier's Gangrene and the role of Hyperbaric Oxygen |journal=J. Hyperbaric Med |volume=5 |issue=3 |pages=177–186 |year=1990 |url=http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/4431 |accessdate=2008-05-16}}</ref>
==References==
<references/>
==External links==
* {{GPnotebook|1664417799}}
[[Category:Diseases]]
[[Category:Microbiology]]
{{disease-stub}}
{{Bacterial diseases}}
[[de:Gasbrand]]
[[hr:Plinska gangrena]]
[[ja:ガス壊疽]]
[[pl:Zgorzel gazowa]]
[[pt:Gangrena gasosa]]
[[ru:Гангрена газовая]]