Gangrene gas, a wound complication that can be life threatening & bull; hello healthy

When you are injured, what do you do to treat the wound? Did you wash your wound clean? Close it tightly? Proper wound management is essential to prevent more serious and even life-threatening complications such as gas gangrene.

What is gangrene gas?

Gangrene gas is an infection of the tissues, cells and blood vessels caused by bacteria. These infecting bacteria will then release gas and release toxins that cause tissue death. Although it is a rare condition, gangrene gas can spread quickly and can be life threatening if left untreated.

Most gangrene infections occur as a result of trauma that causes an open wound or the site of surgery is exposed to bacteria. In rare cases, gangrene can also result from disruption of blood flow to certain body tissues and the area being infected by bacteria. This condition is at risk of occurring in people with atherosclerosis or diabetes mellitus.

Characteristics and symptoms of gas gangrene

Gangrene gas can occur anywhere on the body, but is most commonly found in the feet and hands. Symptoms of gas gangrene can include:

• fever
• air under the skin
• pain and swelling around the wound
• pale skin that quickly turns golden, dark red, purple, or black
• resilient with a smelly liquid
• excessive sweating
• rapid pulse
• gag
• yellow skin (jaundice) in advanced cases

The above symptoms mostly appear about 6 to 48 hours after the onset of infection and can spread quickly. Immediately contact medical personnel or take the patient to the hospital for fast treatment.

The cause of gangrene gas

Gangrene gas is mostly caused by bacteria known by names Clostridium perferingens. In some cases, this condition can also be caused by bacteria from the group Streptococcus . The infection that occurs usually occurs suddenly and can spread quickly.

Gangrene gas usually appears at a new surgery site or in a new wound area. In very rare cases, gangrene can also appear spontaneously without a clear trigger.

Some of the wounds that have a high risk of developing gangrene are:

• injury to the muscle
• severe tissue damage
• very deep wound
• wounds contaminated by feces especially those obtained from livestock

You will also be more at risk of developing gangrene gas if you have conditions such as:

• diabetes
• artery disease
• colon cancer
• frostbite (frostbite)
• open fractures
• use a contaminated needle to inject certain substances into your body

How to treat gas gangrene?

Once diagnosed, gangrene gas must be treated immediately. Usually the doctor will give antibiotics that are put through an IV so that they can go directly into your blood vessels. Dead or infected tissue should be removed surgically. Your doctor may also need to do a blood vessel repair so that blood flow to the infected site can return smoothly.

Repair of damaged tissue can be done with techniques skin graft . Through this method, the doctor will take healthy skin from an uninfected area and implant it on the injured site after of course removing the infected skin cells. In severe cases of gangrene, the doctor may suggest amputation of one limb to save the other part of the body from spreading infection.

Some doctors also use hyperbaric oxygen therapy methods to help speed up healing of gangrene gas. In this therapy, you will be asked to inhale oxygen gas in a special pressure chamber. The goal is to increase the oxygen level in your blood, so that it can help the damaged tissue to heal faster.

Complications due to gas gangrene

The sooner gangrene gas is treated, the better the treatment results will be. Some of the complications that can occur if this condition is left unchecked are:

• permanent tissue damage
• jaundice or yellow
• liver damage
• kidney failure
• in shock
• spreading infection
• coma
• Dead

How to prevent gangrene gas?

The best way to prevent gangrene gas formation is to keep the wound clean. Always wash the wound and cover it with a bandage. Call your doctor if you get signs of infection in the wound. These signs can include redness, swelling, pain, and discharge from the wound. If your doctor gives you antibiotics to drink, make sure you take them as directed.

Changing patterns of life can also reduce the risk of getting gangrene, such as;

• Avoid all tobacco products.
• Treat your health problems properly if they exist, such as diabetes or arterial disease.
• Maintain weight by exercising regularly and eating healthy foods.