Table of Contents
- Overview
- Symptoms
- Treatment
- Prevention
Gangrene is the death of tissue in part of the body.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Gangrene happens when a body part loses its blood supply. This may happen from injury, an infection, or other causes. You have a higher risk for gangrene if you have:
- A serious injury
- Blood vessel disease (such as arteriosclerosis, also called hardening of the arteries, in your arms or legs)
- Diabetes
- Suppressed immune system (for example, from HIV or chemotherapy)
- Surgery
Review Date: 08/28/2009
Reviewed By: Linda Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of
Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of
Medicine; Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine,
Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of
Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General
Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director,
A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
