Gangrene is the local death (necrosis) of tissue in a living organism. It is dangerous because it poisons the blood with cadre toxins and leads to the development of fatal complications from vital organs: kidneys, lungs, liver, and heart.
Gangrene in diabetes most often occurs if the diabetic foot syndrome develops, and the patient does not pay the necessary attention to its treatment.
Amputation surgical saw
Gangrene in diabetes most commonly affects the toes or feet as a whole. It is the most severe form of diabetic foot syndrome. It can develop for one of 2 reasons:
- The blood flow in the tissues of the legs is severely disturbed because the blood vessels are almost completely blocked due to atherosclerosis. This is called ischemic gangrene.
- Diabetic foot syndrome caused ulcers on the feet or lower legs that did not heal for a long time. Gangrene occurs if anaerobic bacteria begin to multiply in these wounds. This is called contagious gangrene.
What causes foot problems in diabetes
Type 1 and 2 diabetes is a major threat to a patient’s feet. Diabetics often have ulcers and wounds on their legs that do not heal for a long time, get annoyed, and can lead to amputation or death from gangrene.
This problem is faced by 12-16% of patients with diabetes, that is millions of people around the world. Many lower limbs were amputated for diabetic reasons than for all other reasons, including accidents on cars and motorcycles.
However, ulcers on the legs, which develop into purulent wounds in diabetes, never appear suddenly. They appear in those places where the skin of the feet was damaged. If you follow the rules of foot care for diabetes, you can reduce the risk and preserve the ability to move "independently".
If a diabetic patient has had an "experience" of the disease for more than 5 years and has had high blood sugar all this time, he or she has probably already partially or completely lost the feeling in his or her legs.
Feet stop feeling pain, pressure, high and low temperature. This is because chronically elevated blood sugar toxins then kill the nerves that control the sensitivity in the feet.
Why do wounds on the legs in patients with diabetes heal so poorly? Due to chronically elevated blood sugar, there is a disturbance of blood circulation in large and small vessels that feed the tissues of the leg. You may need intense blood flow that is 15 times higher than normal to heal wounds.
If the body cannot ensure normal blood flow to the site of damage, then it is not treated, but on the contrary, only worsens. Gangrene can develop, and the infection will spread throughout the leg.
Increasingly, the infection that causes gangrene in diabetes is not being treated with antibiotics because bacteria have developed resistance to them.
Dry gangrene against diabetes
With diabetes, gangrene can be dry or wet. Dry gangrene occurs when the patency of the blood vessels of the lower extremities gradually decreases over several years.
Thus, the body has time to adapt, to develop protective mechanisms. Dry gangrene in diabetes usually affects the toes. Tissues that gradually die are not infected.
With dry gangrene, there may be severe pain at first, but later the affected toes lose sensitivity. They begin to take on a mummified appearance, visually differing sharply from healthy tissues.
The smell is absent. As the absorption of toxins into the blood is very insignificant, the general condition of the patient does not change.
Dry gangrene in diabetes is not life-threatening. Amputation is performed for cosmetic reasons and for prophylaxis to prevent infection and to keep gangrene from getting wet.
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Wet gangrene
Wet gangrene has the opposite symptoms. If anaerobic microbes infect the wound with diabetic foot syndrome, then they multiply in it very quickly. Tissues increase in volume, appearing in a specific blue-purple or greenish color.
The lower limb in question has the shape of a cadaveric decay, and the procedure immediately spreads more and more along the legs.
Because the space under the skin is filled with hydrogen sulfide, when pressed, a specific sound called crepitation is heard. An unpleasant purulent odor leaks from the area affected by gangrene.
The patient's condition is difficult due to strong intoxication. With wet gangrene, only emergency amputation can save the life of a diabetic if time does not pass.
Prevention and treatment of gangrene in diabetes
First of all, you need to study and carefully follow the rules of foot care in diabetes. Legs must be carefully protected to reduce the risk of damage. Wearing orthopedic shoes is highly recommended.
A patient with diabetes or a family member should have their feet examined every night for any changes. The soles must be carefully inspected with a mirror.
If new scratches, blisters, abscesses, ulcers, etc. appear on the leg, consult a doctor immediately. Do not cut the bark of anyone (not even the doctor). This is the main reason for the formation of ulcers, which lead to gangrene and amputation of the feet. Examine all the shoes that the diabetic wears to notice the discomfort that causes tingling.
If dry gangrene develops in diabetes, then treatment is performed with vascular surgery. Such surgery, if successful, can restore the permeability of the blood vessels that feed the affected leg.
This often allows patients to avoid amputation and maintain the ability to walk "alone". With wet infectious gangrene, there is no treatment yet, except for emergency amputation.
Moreover, it sticks too much more than the place where the disintegration process took place. Remember that in such a situation, refusing an amputation is condemning yourself to death, at least quickly, but painfully.
So, we learned what dry and wet gangrene is against diabetes. If you treat diabetic foot syndrome carefully, then you can probably avoid this terrible complication.
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