Management of Fournier's gangrene: Review of 45 cases

Purpose. Fournier's gangrene is a fatal synergistic infectious disease with necrotizing fasciitis of the perineum and abdominal wall along with the scrotum and penis in men and the vulva in women. Methods. The clinical and operative records of 45 patients with Fournier's gangrene during a 14-year period were analyzed. Results. The etiology of the infection was identified in 39 patients. The most common causes were colorectal diseases and urogenital diseases. Four patients died with an overall mortality of 8.8%. The mortality rate was higher in patients with diabetes mellitus, but it was not statistically different. The age, duration of the symptoms, and the presence of rectal abscess were not found to be significant factors regarding mortality rate. Conclusion. Surgery with extensive debridement of all necrotic tissue is the main stay of treatment.