Biomaterial Database

Infections of the lower extremities due to gas-forming and non-gas-forming organisms. 1986

N M Vo, and S Watson, and L R Bryant

From 1977 to 1984, 87 above- and below-knee amputations were done on 77 patients for ischemic ulcerations and gangrene of the lower extremities. The overall three-month mortality was 14% and was mainly related to generalized atherosclerosis. Patients having infections with gas formations were more likely to be diabetic (80% vs 15%, P less than .01), have clinical sepsis and a higher preoperative WBC (19,000 vs 12,600/cu mm, P less than .01), and have a higher mortality (40% vs 12%, P less than .05) than those with infections due to non-gas-forming organisms. Mixed bacterial flora were cultured from most wounds. We conclude that infections with gas formation may be due to either clostridial or nonclostridial organisms, mortality is higher if gas accumulates and if the patient is diabetic, gas is more likely to accumulate in infected extremities of diabetic patients, and the combination of gas formation and diabetes is highly lethal.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007871	Leg Ulcer	Ulceration of the skin and underlying structures of the lower extremity. About 90% of the cases are due to venous insufficiency (VARICOSE ULCER), 5% to arterial disease, and the remaining 5% to other causes.	Leg Ulcers,Ulcer, Leg,Ulcers, Leg
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D011379	Prognosis	A prediction of the probable outcome of a disease based on a individual's condition and the usual course of the disease as seen in similar situations.	Prognostic Factor,Prognostic Factors,Factor, Prognostic,Factors, Prognostic,Prognoses
D005500	Follow-Up Studies	Studies in which individuals or populations are followed to assess the outcome of exposures, procedures, or effects of a characteristic, e.g., occurrence of disease.	Followup Studies,Follow Up Studies,Follow-Up Study,Followup Study,Studies, Follow-Up,Studies, Followup,Study, Follow-Up,Study, Followup
D005738	Gas Gangrene	A severe condition resulting from bacteria invading healthy muscle from adjacent traumatized muscle or soft tissue. The infection originates in a wound contaminated with bacteria of the genus CLOSTRIDIUM. C. perfringens accounts for the majority of cases (over eighty percent), while C. noyvi, C. septicum, and C. histolyticum cause most of the other cases.	Gangrene, Gas,Gangrenes, Gas,Gas Gangrenes
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D000369	Aged, 80 and over	Persons 80 years of age and older.	Oldest Old
D000671	Amputation, Surgical	The surgical removal of part of, or all of, a limb or other appendage or outgrowth of the body.	Amputation,Amputation, Multiple, Surgical,Multiple Amputation, Surgical,Surgical Amputation Procedures,Amputation Procedure, Surgical,Amputation Procedures, Surgical,Amputation, Surgical Multiple,Amputations,Amputations, Surgical,Amputations, Surgical Multiple,Multiple Amputations, Surgical,Procedure, Surgical Amputation,Procedures, Surgical Amputation,Surgical Amputation,Surgical Amputation Procedure,Surgical Amputations,Surgical Multiple Amputation,Surgical Multiple Amputations
D001161	Arteriosclerosis	Thickening and loss of elasticity of the walls of ARTERIES of all sizes. There are many forms classified by the types of lesions and arteries involved, such as ATHEROSCLEROSIS with fatty lesions in the ARTERIAL INTIMA of medium and large muscular arteries.	Arterioscleroses