Fournier's gangrene in Ibadan

Twenty six patients with Fourniers gangrene seen over an 8 year period at the University College Hospital Ibadan are presented. Their ages ranged from 34 years to 70 years with a mean of 52.5 years. Possible predisposing conditions were present in 17 (65%) patients. The anterior scrotal skin alone was most commonly involved. They were treated with systemic antibiotics, wound debridement and sitz baths. While the wound healed spontaneously on this regimen in 6 (23%) patients, 19 (73%) patients required suture closure of their clean granulating wounds. None required rotational skin flap scrotoplasty and no deaths occured. It is stressed that because of the independent arterial supply and venous drainage of the testes, even when the entire scrotum has sloughed, orchidectomy should never be considered a management option.