[Fournier gangrene: presentation of 6 cases with no mortality].

INTRODUCTION

Fournier's gangrene is a serious and potentially lethal rare infection of perineal and external genital that must be treated as a medical and surgical emergency. The aim of this study is to share our experience over the last 10 years in the management of this disease.

PATIENTS AND METHOD: We carried out a descriptive and retrospective chart review of patients diagnosed and treated for this pathology in our Hospital over the last 10 years. The patient age, sex, risk factors, urgent laboratory investigations, presenting symptoms, duration of hospital stay, microbiological findings, and number of debridements were recorded.

RESULTS

Six patients had this pathology, all males, with a mean age of 58.5 years. Half of them (50%) showed predisposing factors, but none of them showed a clear aetiology. The initial symptomatology was perineal or perianal phlegmon-abscess with a torpid evolution and gangrene. The treatment was intravenous antibiotics and debridement, which was repeated in 4 patients. The most commonly isolated microorganism was Escherichia coli followed by Acinetobacter and Bacteroides. The mean hospital stay was 32 days. There were no deaths recorded in this study.

CONCLUSIONS

Fournier's gangrene is a serious disease that occurs in patients with risk factors. Early surgical treatment and broad-spectrum antibiotics are important.