What is the difference between infarction and gangrene

Chronic peripheral arterial disease is most often due to atherosclerosis. This is a build-up of cholesterol, fibrin and other proteins within the arterial wall, causing the vessel to narrow and eventually become completely blocked. This process is also called arteriosclerosis obliterans. The veins may fail to clear blood from the tissues because of valve dysfunction varicose veins and obstruction from deep venous thrombosis DVT or thrombophlebitis.

High pressure within the veins venous hypertension results in movement of proteins and fibrin into the soft tissue. This leads to fibrosis , dysfunctional capillary formation and fat necrosis lipodermatosclerosis.

When severe, these processes may cause ischaemia and gangrene. Signs of peripheral vascular disease depend on which tissues are ischaemic and its severity. A patient may present with:. When a patient presents with peripheral ischaemia or gangrene of unknown cause, a thorough physical examination is undertaken to evaluate the vascular system including the heart and the peripheral pulses. An electrocardiogram ECG assesses cardiac function. Blood tests assess blood count, kidney function, electrolytes, lipid profile, coagulation status and inflammatory markers such as D dimer and C reactive protein.

Surgical procedures may also include:. Prognosis of ischaemic gangrene depends on the extent of disease, the underlying cause and the timing of appropriate treatment. There will be scarring, and there may be some reduction in function, especially if significant debridement or amputation has been necessary.

Recurrence of ischaemia is likely due to medical comorbidity, especially diabetes. This area then turns dry and black. The earlier gangrene is treated, the more successful the treatment is likely to be. So if you have any of the above symptoms, seek immediate medical attention. If you have symptoms of gangrene, your healthcare team will give you a physical exam to check for signs of tissue death.

They may also ask you about any chronic health conditions you have that could be linked to the gangrene. Your healthcare provider may also want to do lab tests to check for gangrene.

A higher than normal amount of white blood cells, for example, can mean you have an infection. Your healthcare provider may take samples of tissue or fluid from the affected area and look at in the lab. If your healthcare provider thinks you may have internal gangrene, he or she may order imaging tests or surgery to find out for sure. Because gangrene can spread rapidly over a large area of the body, the amount of dead tissue can be quite large.

Treating these large areas may result in:. You can help prevent gangrene by carefully watching any wounds you have and getting immediate attention if signs of infection develop. Gangrene is a medical emergency. The outlook with gangrene depends on the location and size of the affected area, as well as any other medical conditions you might have.

Gangrene is often life-threatening, so immediate medical care is crucial. Health Home Conditions and Diseases. Gangrene comes in 2 forms, dry and wet: Dry gangrene occurs when the blood supply to tissue is cut off. The area becomes dry, shrinks, and turns black. Wet gangrene occurs if bacteria invade this tissue. This makes the area swell, drain fluid, and smell bad. What causes gangrene? Gangrene happens when blood supply to certain tissues is stopped.

This can happen due to: An infection An injury such as a burn or combat wound A chronic disease Chronic diseases that harm the circulatory system include diabetes, peripheral artery disease, and Raynaud's disease. Who is at risk for gangrene? What are the symptoms of gangrene? Necrosis is a type of cell injury where premature death of cell occurs.

Gangrene is a life threatening condition which arises when a considerable mass of living healthy tissue dies. Gangrene is one of the clinical manifestations of necrosis. Necrosis pertains to cellular level, whereas gangrene involves the tissues. Necrosis is a result of injury to cell due to external or internal factors. External factors include trauma, thermal injuries or excessively high or low temperatures causing cell death.

Internal causes include injury to nerve causing lack of nutrition to cells, injury to blood vessels resulting in reduced blood supply to the cells, certain bacterial enzymes etc.

Gangrene occurs due to reduction in blood supply below critical levels, to a particular tissue or due to infection. Cells which die due to necrosis are characterised by loss of cell membrane integrity, swelling of the cell, shrinkage of the cell hub called nucleus and finally the nucleus dissolving in the surrounding cytoplasm.

Gangrene is caused by insufficient blood supply. In ischemic gangrene, cholesterol plaques producing a narrowing of the arterial lumen cause considerable reduction of blood supply. The atheromatous plaques can form thrombi or emboli reducing the blood flow, further causing tissue death. In infective gangrene, infection starts with contamination of a wound post trauma or after a surgery by the clostridium bacteria.

This causes release of bacterial enzymes which in turn cause tissue necrosis. This necrosis, which spreads in underlying fat and muscle, along with clogged up blood vessels creates a low oxygen environment which facilitates further bacterial growth.

The resultant tissue swelling further compromises the blood supply. Glucose from the cells is fermented causing gas formation. Cell architecture is maintained with deposition of gel like substances within the cells.

This gel is nothing but denatured protein albumin. Organs commonly affected are kidney and the adrenal glands. This is characterised by digestion of cells resulting in formation of viscous liquid.