Our experience in the management of Fournier's gangrene - a single-center retrospective study

Introduction: Fournier’s gangrene (FG) is a rare and potentially life-threatening infection that leads to necrosis of soft tissue. This condition constitutes a medical emergency, necessitating prompt surgical intervention to mitigate the potential consequences. Aim: To analyze the demographic and clinical characteristics of a small cohort of patients with FG. Patients and methods: The present retrospective study included 31 patients with Fournier’s gangrene who were hospitalized in the Department of General Surgery from January 2020 to December 2023. A comprehensive examination of the patients’ demographic characteristics, comorbidities, presence of diabetes mellitus, microbial agents involved, and methods used for wound management was conducted. Results: The study found that men, particularly those over the age of 55, were more commonly affected than women. Escherichia coli was identified as the predominant microbial agent. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus was found to be higher among female patients. All patients received prompt surgery according to established protocols. Enzyme proteolysis was our method of choice for wound management. Ten patients underwent adjunctive surgery while seven patients had reconstructive procedures. The mortality rate registered was 25.8%. The mean length of hospital stay was 12.8 days. Conclusion: Fournier’s gangrene has a high mortality and complication rate despite the current treatment options. Wound management with enzyme proteolysis yielded promising results.