Fournier's gangrene: a review of 43 reconstructive cases

Fournier's gangrene is a rare and potentially fatal infectious disease characterized by necrotic fasciitis of the perineum and abdominal wall, along with the scrotum and penis in men and the vulva in women. Fournier's gangrene is a true surgical emergency. Skin loss can be very incapacitating and difficult to repair.

The authors reviewed retrospectively the clinical records of a series of 43 patients with Fournier's gangrene between the years 1985 and 2003 who, after initial treatment by the Departments of Urology and Surgery, were referred to the Department of Plastic Surgery for reconstruction. The following parameters were evaluated: age, gender, interval between onset of symptoms and diagnosis, clinical symptoms, lesion site, results of bacteriologic cultures, cause and predisposing factors, treatment and reconstructive procedures, length of hospital stay, and outcome.

The mean patient age was 56.6 years. Fifteen patients (34.9 percent) had diabetes mellitus. The cause of Fournier's gangrene was found in 32 patients (74.4 percent). The most common presentation was scrotal swelling, and scrotal involvement was found in 40 cases (93.0 percent). All of the patients underwent surgical debridement, and several reconstruction techniques were used. The mean length of hospital stay was 73.6 days. Two patients died.

Management of this infectious entity should be aggressive. Several techniques that are used to reconstruct the lost tissue have shown good results. The superomedial thigh skin flap has proven to be a reliable method of resurfacing large scrotal defects. Reconstructive surgery makes the return to a normal social life possible in many cases.