Gangrene dry: prognosis, treatment

There are many diseases that endanger human life. In time without applying for help, you can remain an invalid for life. One of these diseases is gangrene. Let's figure out why it arises, how to treat and what is the prognosis of this disease.

What kind of a disease is gangrene?

Mention of this disease was found even in Hippocrates and Celsus. The word "gangrene" comes from the Greek graino, which means "gnawing." In the old days people called this disease "Antonov fire."

Gangrene is a disease characterized by the death of body tissues. They reach black, brown or dark blue. Spread gangrene can on both tissues and organs. For example, in skin cells, subcutaneous fat, muscles, lung, intestines and so on. This disease can quickly or slowly.

Darkening of necrotic tissue is explained by the fact that hemoglobin accumulates in these areas, which releases iron, it is converted to salt - iron sulfate, it is this compound that gives such a color. The most affected people are gangrene, suffering from heart and vascular disease in old age. When the blood flow is disturbed, the blood circulates poorly, especially in places far from the heart, so the hands and feet are most often affected by this disease.

How is gangrene classified

This disease is divided into several features.

1. By the composition of the affected tissue:

• Dry gangrene;
• Moist gangrene.

2. The etiology of gangrene is:

• Infectious;
• Allergic;
• Toxic.

3. By pathogenesis:

• Gas;
• Lightning fast;
• Hospital.

As a rule, the development of a moist form proceeds quickly, and dry gangrene develops slowly.

Causes of necrosis of tissues

There are several reasons for the occurrence of any kind of gangrene:

1. Violation of blood circulation. It is broken gradually, while the lower limbs are more vulnerable. So the gangrene develops dry. And also there are factors that can contribute to the disturbance of blood circulation :

• Strongly squeezing, improperly imposed plaster bandage, it squeezes the blood vessels and disrupts the blood flow;
• Long stay under compressive heavy objects in case of catastrophes;
• A tourniquet that stops bleeding for a long time is on the arm or leg.

2. Diseases of the cardiovascular system:

• Pathology of the heart;
• atherosclerosis;
• thrombosis;
• Thromboembolism;
• Obliterating endarteritis.

3. Infection. Gangrene may develop as a result of infection through open trauma. A greater risk of injuries for diabetics and people with vascular disease. In the soil there are always such microbes that can cause gangrene, getting into the wound:

• Enterobacteria;
• E. coli;
• streptococcus;
• Proteus.

The most dangerous are clostridia, which can cause gas gangrene, and they live in an environment that does not have oxygen.

4. Frostbites and burns. Gangrene dry can occur with burns with chemical acids, and also with alkalis.

With such effects, tissues are destroyed, blood circulation is disrupted, inflammation is attached. If the body is weakened by diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, infections are easier to penetrate and take over.

5. Mechanical injuries.

If tissue damage occurs on a large area, infection can very easily join.

Gangrene dry is not dangerous to the life of the patient, unlike the wet one. Let's consider it in more detail.

Signs and development of dry gangrene

And now about how the gangrene arises and flows dry. Symptoms can be observed in the following order:

• The appearance of severe pain in the feet, as well as the toes without any reason.
• The damaged area is initially pale, and then a cyanotic shade appears.
• Constantly cold limbs.
• Often felt numbness.
• The skin is wrinkled on the affected area.
• The gangrene site becomes smaller.
• Then the color turns black or dark brown.
• The patient site loses sensitivity.
• The pain goes away.
• Between the healthy and affected area, a clear distinction can be seen.
• The above symptoms do not spread to healthy areas.
• In general, the patient's condition is satisfactory, since toxins do not enter the bloodstream.

Over time, the affected area withers, can disconnect. This equates to recovery. As the limb on which the dry gangrene develops appears, the photo clearly demonstrates.

Anxiety signs of the disease

There are signs that should be alerted. The appearance of them may be the first symptom of gangrene development. After all, dry gangrene can develop for years.

• Freezing limbs, even in hot weather.
• Rapid fatigue when walking, pain in the legs.
• Cramps of the extremities.
• Damage, even small ones, does not heal on the foot or leg for a long time.
• Gangrene site loses sensitivity.
• From a pale color goes to bluish, then begins to turn black.
• On the affected area, ulcers appear which do not heal well.

Do not leave these signs without attention, preferably hurry to the doctor.

Dry and moist gangrene are two concepts that have a very fine line between themselves, since the first can go into the second, and then the predictions concerning the disease will become more grim. And when treating a moist form, doctors tend to achieve dry gangrene so that it does not threaten the patient's life.

How is gangrene diagnosed?

If you find signs of developing gangrene, you should consult a surgeon. You may need to consult a narrower specialist, depending on the location of the affected area. To establish the whole picture, the doctor can ask such questions:

• Was there a trauma?
• How did the damaged place heal?
• Are there any pain or are there any other symptoms?
• What temperature did it rise?
• What diseases does the patient have? Diseases of the heart and blood vessels?
• What are the indicators of sugar? Is there any diabetes?

If you have any signs of developing gangrene, the following tests will be performed:

• General blood analysis.
• Blood chemistry. He can indicate the cause of gangrene development. If a specialist is concerned about your condition, there is a development of moist gangrene, a blood test is done on site within a few minutes.
• Blood is examined for sterility. It is possible to establish the causative agent of an evolving infection.
• Bacteriological examination of the secretions from the wound is carried out.
• Radiography of muscles in the affected area.

Treatment of dry gangrene

As indicated above, gangrene is affected by areas far from the heart, suffering from blood flow disturbances. First of all, it's limbs, so we'll consider how the treatment goes if the patient has dry gangrene of the lower extremities.

In order to prevent the development of the disease, with the first symptoms you need to see a doctor and begin treatment. What is the treatment?

1. At the initial stage it is advisable to try to restore normal blood circulation.
2. Assign a vitamin complex and drugs that help improve blood circulation in small vessels.
3. Medicines that stimulate the body's immune system.
4. Antibiotics are prescribed, which will reduce the inflammatory process.
5. It shows the application of ointments that affect the affected area.
6. Possible the appointment of physiotherapy with the use of infrared radiation. This will speed up the regeneration of tissues, stop the spread of necrosis of cells, improve blood circulation. This method of treatment is becoming increasingly popular.
7. If the treatment gives good results, then it is possible to prescribe a therapeutic exercise.

As a rule, the general condition of the patient does not deteriorate if it is dry gangrene. Treatment Will continue until a clear line separating dead and healthy tissues is identified. Then, surgical intervention is possible.

There are several surgical techniques that have proven effective in combating dry gangrene:

1. Necrotomy. During the operation, the surgeon dissects the affected tissue in order to ensure the outflow of fluid from the inflamed area.
2. Necrectomy. In this case, the necrotic tissue is removed and the healthy ones are preserved. Such manipulation can be performed in several approaches, this allows to preserve the maximum organ and tissues.
3. Resection is the removal of organs, if they are affected by gangrene.
4. Amputation. Most often, this method is used if gangrene affects the limbs. In order to prevent the spread of the process to healthy areas, if the treatment does not give the desired effect, the doctor makes this decision.

If it is not neglected dry gangrene, treatment without amputation is possible. Having stopped the process at the initial stage, the diseases do not allow us to occupy a larger area. If the disease has gone too far, then to keep the affected limb, as a rule, fails.

A greater likelihood of developing gangrene in elderly patients lying down. In this case, special care is required and mandatory examination for patency of blood vessels.

Folk remedies for the treatment of gangrene

Folk remedies for the treatment of gangrene can only be used after consultation with a doctor. Cure the same gangrene, using only traditional medicine, especially in a damp condition, it is impossible. This is dangerous for your health. Traditional healers offer several recipes to ease the condition.

1. If you have dry gangrene of the foot, you can use young shoots of pine needles for treatment. Take 5 tablespoons of crushed pine needles, pour boiling water in a volume of 0.5 liters, boil for 10 minutes. Then let the broth hold in the thermos for 12 hours. Drink every day instead of tea.
2. Dry gangrene of the leg is treated as follows. Willow branches and willows boil for several minutes. Then, with this decoction, rinse the diseased area, attach the branches and fix it with a bandage. Leave it overnight. In the morning remove the bandage and smear the affected area with honey.
3. You can make an ointment to treat gangrene. This will require: honey, rosin, laundry soap, fresh fat, vegetable oil. All components are taken for 50 grams. Fat melt, chop soap, add the rest, put on a stove and bring to a boil. Cool and add 50 grams of crushed onions, garlic, aloe. Ointment healing is ready. Before use, heat on a water bath.

Complications with dry gangrene

Any doctor will say: if there is no appropriate and timely treatment of gangrene, it will inevitably result in irreversible disorders in the tissues. Since gangrenous lesions can have different localization, depending on this, the complications can be as follows:

1. Sepsis or infection of blood. It occurs as a result of the ingress of the products of the disintegration of tissues into the bloodstream.
2. If there is gangrene of internal organs, then not far to peritonitis.
3. Under the influence of the pathological process, the destruction of blood vessels can occur.
4. Lethal outcome.

To prevent such complications in the presence of suspicious symptoms that may indicate a developing gangrene, it is necessary to get a specialist consultation. Only timely and competent treatment will stop the process and will not give rise to complications.

Forecast

For a disease like dry gangrene, the prognosis is generally good. If you do not start the disease and prevent the process from becoming wet. Intoxication of the body does not occur, the general condition is normal. The dead part can itself, without surgery, be self-amputated. If gangrene is detected in the early stages, it is possible to localize the focus, minimizing it, which does not require surgical intervention.

If we talk about the forecast of moist gangrene, human life depends on its development. Infection can spread to the heart, kidneys, liver, which can cause the death of the patient. Gangrene internal organs require their immediate removal.

Prevention of disease

In order not to develop gangrene, it is necessary to treat all diseases that can provoke necrosis of tissues.

• Timely processing of wounds by all rules.
• If you have a burn or frostbite, be sure to show the damaged area to the doctor, he will prescribe the appropriate treatment.
• It is necessary to treat diseases that worsen blood circulation: diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
• Timely eliminate infectious diseases.
• Fight bad habits.
• Diabetics should regularly inspect the lower extremities, stops for the detection of lesions, so that prompt treatment is prescribed, since such patients have a high risk of developing gangrene.

If you follow these simple recommendations, then that you overtake gangrene, you can not worry. Be attentive to yourself and your loved ones.