SCROTAL RECONSTRUCTION AFTER FOURNIERS GANGRENE WITH SIMPLE SKIN-GRAFTING

Fournier's gangrene is a rare but life-threatening condition in wester n countries; it consists of acute subcutaneous necrotizing infection o f the genital and perineal region. Predisposing diseases are character istically those which impair the patient's immunological defense and w ound healing. After emergency debridement, there is extensive loss of scrotal and perineal tissue, usually these defects heal satisfactorily by secondary intention, and reconstructive procedures are seldom indi cated. Defects of the penis, abdomen or thighs are split skin grafted, while for scrotal reconstruction, various methods are recommended, su ch as medial thigh fasciocutaneous flaps, bilateral superolateral thig h flaps or bilateral gracilis musculocutaneous flaps. In Fournier's ga ngrene due to predisposing disease, split-thickness skin grafting in s crotal reconstruction can, in the authors' opinion, achieve excellent results. In addition, it is the least disabling reconstructive procedu re in such patients.