These treatments of Gangrene symptoms include:
- Surgery. Your doctor will remove the dead tissue, which helps stop gangrenefrom spreading and allows healthy tissue to heal. If possible, your doctor mayrepair damaged or diseased blood vessels in order to increase blood flow to theaffected area.A skin graft is a type of reconstructive surgery that may be used to treat gangrene that's caused extensive damage to your skin. During a skin graft, your doctor removes healthy skin from another part of your body usually a place hidden by clothing and carefully spreads it over an affected area. The healthy skin may be held in place by a dressing or by a couple of small stitches. A skin graft can only be done if an adequate blood supply has been restored to the damaged skin. In severe cases of gangrene, an affected body part, such as a toe, finger or limb, may need to be surgically removed (amputated). In some cases, you may be fitted with an artificial limb (prosthesis).
- Antibiotics. Antibiotics given through a vein (intravenous) may be used to treat gangrene that's become infected.
- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy. In this type of therapy, you'll be situated in a special chamber, which usually consists of a padded table that slides into clear plastic tube. The chamber is pressurized with pure oxygen, and the pressure inside the chamber will slowly rise to about two and a half timem normal atmospheric pressure.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy may be used to treat gas gangrene. Under increased pressure and increased oxygen content, your blood is able to carry greater amounts of oxygen. Blood rich in oxygen inhibits the growth of bacteria that thrive in the absence of oxygen and helps infected wounds heal more easily.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy may last anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours, and you may require more than one session. During the therapy, your ears might pop as they adjust to the increased pressure. Afterward, you may feel lightheaded and tired. Other treatments for gangrene may include supportive care, including fluids, nutrients, and pain medication to relieve your discomfort.
