FOURNIERS GANGRENE

Fournier's gangrene is a relatively rare, mixed aerobic and anaerobic soft tissue infection in the perineoscrotal area. Although it is conve nient to give it a separate name, it is really either necrotizing fasc iitis or nonclostridial myonecrosis of the scrotal and perineal areas. The condition frequently develops from perianal diseases, including p erianal abscess, anal fistulas, inflamed haemorrhoids and indwelling u rethral catheter. In patients with Fournier's gangrene morbidity is ex treme and mortality gangrene morbidity is extreme and mortality high. This article is based on a retrospective study of 15 cases of Fournier 's gangrene, 13 in male and 2 in female patients. A combination of sur gery and antibiotics was used to treat 9 patients. The last 6 cases we re treated with a combination of surgery, antibiotics and hyperbaric o xygen. In 13 cases, the diagnosis was made on the basis of the fulmina ting progression of the infection to a scrotal gangrene, identificatio n of multiple underlying pathogenic organisms and toxaemia. In the 2 f emale patients, a similar infection developed in the labia majora and perineum and extended to the buttocks and the anterior abdominal wall.