Prognostic factors in Fournier gangrene

Fournier gangrene is a necrotizing fasciitis, arising in the genital and perineal area. This entity is still associated with a high mortality rate despite improvements in antibiotic and surgical treatment.

This is a retrospective study of all the patients diagnosed and surgically treated for Fournier gangrene at General University Hospital Ramon y Cajal between 1988 and 2008. Possible prognostic factors that could have any influence on the evolution of Fournier gangrene were analyzed.

Seventy patients were analyzed, 62 males (88.6%) and 8 females (11.4%) with a mean age of 57.9 ± 13.5 years. Most frequent clinical manifestations were perineal pain (82.9%) and fever (60%). Physical examination revealed edema (91.4%), erythema (88.6%) and perineal skin necrosis (60%). All the patients underwent surgical debridement of necrotic tissue. In 54.3% reoperations were necessary for new surgical debridements. Medical complications rate was 27.1% and mortality one 22.9%. Ethylism, coexistence of neoplasms, presence of skin necrosis, myonecrosis, abdominal wall affection, number of debrided areas, reoperations, concentration of creatinine in serum>1.4 mg/dL, and hemoglobin <10 g/dL, and platelet count <150 × 10(9)/L in whole blood are associated with higher mortality rates.

Identification of prognostic factors may help to determine high-risk patients in order to establish an optimal treatment, according to severity of the infection and general status.