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Review of 34 Cases

Ellis S. Caplan, MD; Ronica M. Kluge, MD

Arch Intern Med. 1976;136(7):788-791.

Abstract
High morbidity and mortality continue to result from gas gangrene, despite the use of aggressive modes of therapy. Between 1967 and 1973, 34 patients with gas gangrene were seen at the University of Maryland Hospital; 11 (32.3%) died. Clostridium perfringens was recovered from the wounds in 79% of the cases and from the blood in 15%. Eighty-five percent of the wounds contained one or more organisms in addition to C perfringens, with as many as seven organisms recovered from some wounds. Twenty-nine patients received hyperbaric oxygen treatments, as well as the more conventional antibiotic drugs; it was not possible to assess the value of this added therapy. Gangrene of the abdominal wall resulted in a higher (50%) mortality than gangrene of an extremity (24%). Presence of normal or depressed white blood cell counts, decreased platelet counts, and abnormal renal or liver functions all denoted a poor prognosis.

(Arch Intern Med 136:788-791, 1976)

Author Affiliations
From the Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Maryland Hospital, Baltimore. Dr Kluge is now with the University of Florida, Gainesville.

Footnotes
Submitted for publication Sept 19, 1975; accepted Dec 11.

Reprint requests to Division of Infectious Diseases, 29 S Greene St, Baltimore, MD 21201 (Dr Caplan).

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