Fournier's gangrene: an aetiological hypothesis

La Malattia di Fournier. Caso Clinico

Fournier's disease is a necrotizing fasciitis that prefers the male and which is located in the perineal area. In view of possible complications related to sepsis, systemic organ impairment and high mortality, is now considered a urological emergency. The main causes are infections of urethral and anal-rectal tract, immunodepression syndromes, diabetes mellitus and trauma. Infections are mixed with aerobic and anaerobic germs responsible of necrosis of tissue disorders due to the phenomena of necrotizing immunovasculitis disease. We present a case of Fournier's disease in perineal area, with gangrenosum necrotic evolution treated with antibiotic therapy, curettage of the necrotic tissue and local disinfection with saline and antiseptics solution. A total parenteral nutrition to ensure maximum perineal decontamination has been made. The extensive loss of substance scrotal was rebuilt in 25–day while the anal wound has healed spontaneously after complete surgical curettage.

La gangrène de Fournier : remarques sur deux cas cliniques

Fournier's gangrene is a genital and perineal necrotizing fascitiis with a rapid evolution. It's an affection caused by aerobic and anaerobic micro-organisms, eventually associated with a superinfection by micetes. It has characterised by a deep oedema associated with lancinating pain and itching in external genitalia, rapidly evolves to perineal tissues necrosis and purulence. At this stadium patient's general conditions are still serious and patient may be comatose. When toxaemia is over, demarcation of necrotic areas can be remarkable and granulation start growing. Fournier's gangrene seems to be related to an ischemic necrosis caused by obliterative endoarteritis and thrombosis of internal pudendal and deep and superficial external pudendal artery. The infection gateway may be subcutaneous tissue lesion associated to trauma or surgical procedures in immunodeficient organism. Diagnosis is mainly clinical but a superficial ecography could be useful to demonstrate thickening in subcutaneous tissue with normal testicles. Both of them were middle aged males, heavy smokers, affected by hypertension and COPD. In both cases there was polymicrobial Gram positive bacterial infection. Antibiotic systemic therapy and topic therapy were administered. The patient also received hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Thirteen days after the admittance, the infection was defeated and we could start the surgical cover. To cover the scrotal wound we have used split-thickness skin grafts taken from the right thigh. These grafts took at 100% and the patient was discharged seven days after surgical operations. Follow-up at six months and at one year showed any functional limitation and a good aesthetic result.

Fournier's Gangrene of Genitalia: Case Report

Fournier's gsngrene is a rare disease involving the scrotum and the penis with occasional extension up to the abdominal wall. The etiology of the disease, commonly without prodromal symptoms and with sudden onset, is still not fully understood. The organisms are usually streptococcus haemoliticus and/or anerobic bacteria.

We report a case of Fournier's gangrene, presenting septic shock. The patient was treated with reanimatory care, antibiotics, local excision and debridment. Speaking about anatomical and etiopathogenetic hypotheses, we discuss the diagnostic problems and the treatment of the disease. We emphasize the role of the early diagnosis.

Fournier's gangrene: a review of 1726 cases

BACKGROUND

Although there is much consensus, certain controversies exist regarding the management of Fournier's gangrene.

METHOD

Publications in English on Fournier's gangrene from January 1950 to September 1999 were obtained through the Medline database and relevant reference lists in publications. It was possible to identify 1726 cases for study. Data extracted for review included country of reported cases, number of patients in each report and relevant clinical features.

RESULTS

Fournier's gangrene occurs worldwide. However, its definition has generated considerable controversy as efforts are made to refine the original description in the light of increasingly understood aetiological factors. Attempts to classify the disease into primary and secondary forms have not been successful. The basic pathological process, necrotizing fasciitis, has been identified in the perineum of women and children, although the disease afflicts the male more often than the female. Most reported cases have occurred in the USA and Canada. The major sources of sepsis are the local skin, colon, anus and rectum, and the lower urinary tract. Colonic, anal and rectal sources carry the worst prognosis. Diabetes mellitus is important in aetiological terms. Rare causes include vasectomy and circumcision. Investigations are essential to define the cause of an episode but not for the diagnosis of the disease. Early aggressive treatment of Fournier's gangrene and underlying conditions is essential. Hyperbaric oxygen and honey are treatment modalities yet to be universally adopted. Risk of death, 16 per cent overall in this series, is related to the patient's condition at presentation.

CONCLUSION

Controversies over the definition of Fournier's gangrene persist but these do not affect the treatment options. The diagnosis is made on clinical grounds. The occurrence of the disease in women is under-reported and may go unrecognized by some clinicians. Some treatment options, such as hyperbaric oxygenation and radical excision, remain controversial.

[Fournier's gangrene. Our clinical experience, etiopathogenesis and management]

We report 12 cases of Fournier's Gangrene treated over an 19-month period; at Division Urology of the Hospital Gral. de Agudos Dr. José M. Ramos Mejia. We emphatized 58.3% of the patients had an urology origin. We considered diagnostic and therapeutic issues, and bibliografic review.

Fournier's gangrene: Report on two cases

– Fournier's gangrene is a rare pathology that generally occurs in weakened patients with chronic diseases, like diabetes, which imply tissue ischemia and even today a high mortality rate. Two cases are presented, one of which is interesting for its pathogenesis. The authors confirm that first choice treatment should be surgical associated with antiobiotics and hyperbaric oxygenation whenever possible.

Gangrena acuta dei genitali di Fournier: Descrizione di un caso

The Authors describe a case of Fournier's disease and summarise the main etiopathogenic hypotheses and the therapeutical approaches to this urological and, at the same time, dermatological emergency, which has to be tackled quickly with competence but which is, however, lethal in many cases.