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Overview
Symptoms
Medications
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Conditions
Gangrene of the foot

Gangrene of the foot

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A condition characterized by the death and decomposition of tissue in the foot, which can either obstruct circulation or cause a bacterial infection.

Dr. Geoffrey Rutledge reviewed this

39 year experience in Internal Medicine

How long it usually lasts:

Chronic (lasts years to lifelong)

How common it is:

Rare
Baby
0-2
Preteen
6-13
Teenager
14-18
Young adult
19-40
Middle-aged adult
41-60
Common

How it can usually be treated?

Can be cured with medical treatment

How is it usually diagnosed?

Requires diagnosis by a medical professional

Body locations

Skin

Symptoms

Fever, malaise, aches
Thin skin
Mild fever
Fever
Fever, mild (99.0 F - 100.9 F)
Load more

Medications

Ratings show how effective doctors think these medications are at treating Gangrene of the foot
Vancomycin
2.7
37 reviews
Heparin
1.7
34 reviews
Thrombolytic therapy

Procedures

Ratings show how effective doctors think these procedures are at treating Gangrene of the foot

Surgery

Debridement
4.4
38 reviews

Other treatments

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
Supportive care
Irrigation

Tests

Cryofibrinogen
Cold agglutinins
C reactive protein
Blood culture
Coagulation profile
Load more

Risk factors

Personal

Cigarette smoking

Related questions

A 35-year old asked:

What are the early symptoms of gangrene in the foot?

2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in

A 45-year old asked:

Does hitting your foot way too hard cause you to get gangrene if you're diabetic?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 39-year old female asked:

I have dry gangrene on my both palms and both feet soles what medicine I should take?

2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in

A 22-year old male asked:

Why do Diabetic patients develop gangrene in foot?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A female asked:

How long does it take for dry gangrene to become life threatening if untreated in foot?

2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in

A 25-year old male asked:

Is it possible to treat dry gangrene without surgery of foot to kidney patient?

5 doctor answers • 9 doctors weighed in

A 33-year old asked:

Need doctor's help! will occur fournier gangrene in the foot?

1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

A 39-year old asked:

Is it possible to have gangrene in your mouth and your foot at the same time?

1 doctor answer • 5 doctors weighed in

A 31-year old female asked:

Can foot fusion be performed on those with gas gangrene near the ankle, if not why not?

2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in

A female asked about a 88-year old female:

My mom has gangrene in her foot and has lost her apatite and is now refusing fluids, is this the infection taking hold?

1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

A 42-year old asked:

I was wondering what are some good alternatives for diabetes-based foot gangrene if the weak ointment that the doctor gives isn't working?

2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in

A 53-year old female asked:

How bad is it to have fungus in your feet? Can that lead to gangrene? Im seeing my doctor for something else soon, should I ask for a perscription?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 25-year old female asked:

I am A type 2 diabetic of my right foot on my big toe it is very swollen and hurts alot I'm wondering if it is possible that I could develop gangrene?

2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in

A 40-year old asked:

If you have a foot amputation to get rid of gangrene, will you later need a leg amputation?

3 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in

A 33-year old asked:

Mrs. Rose is a hospice patient in the nursing home. She has gangrene of her foot. What can she do to cure it?

3 doctor answers • 9 doctors weighed in

A female asked:

My 88 year old mom has developed gangrene in her toes, which has now compromised her foot doc says it will spread, how will this develop?

2 doctor answers • 11 doctors weighed in

A 29-year old female asked:

Dx cellulitis top of foot,7 days smz&rx cream completed.Dk purp/grn,puss,very painful&swollen,more sores up leg,worse since tx.Could it be gangrene?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 21-year old male asked:

I developed severe dry gangrene on right foot after trauma, 4 toes already amputated, but it is spreading very slow. How long can I delay amputation?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 21-year old male asked:

I have lots of dry gangrene on right foot, lost 4 toes , but it doesn't go past the mid-foot. Why would they amputate to knee? Why not just that part?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 44-year old asked:

The vascular surgeon told my mother she has early stages of gangrene in her foot. What is the treatment?

4 doctor answers • 9 doctors weighed in

A 40-year old male asked about a 60-year old female:

My mother has lost her right big toe to gangrene due to diabetic foot. It has spread to remaining 4 toes all gone black. Can we avoid amputation?

2 doctor answers • 7 doctors weighed in

A 25-year old male asked about a 60-year old female:

Can (super)microsurgery help revascularize diabetic foot (with dry gangrene on 1 toe)? If so, are there surgeons in Europe (Holland) who do this?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 20-year old male asked:

I have ingrown toenail ( infected but no pus or blood) so im soaking my feet in vinegar . Now i have small black dot on skin near toenail. Gangrene?

3 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in

A 25-year old male asked:

Mom(diabetic)has dry gangrene on toe. Angioplasty failed, doctors say vascular surgery imposible(foot veins too small), how can we restore bloodflow?

2 doctor answers • 7 doctors weighed in

A 66-year old female asked:

Mother, 66, had gangrene/ partial foot amputation, is not diabetic, had 3 stents in her legs due to poor circulation & heavy smoker. Life expectancy?

3 doctor answers • 10 doctors weighed in

A 54-year old female asked:

My mom fractured her hip & had surgery. At hospital she developed an heel ulcer on her left foot . It developed into gangrene. She has leg pain now caused by vein disease (had ultrasound). never complained b4, right side good. What caused gangrene?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 35-year old asked:

If a person has dry gangrene in on one toe, is it ok to let it amputate itself?

3 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in

A 45-year old asked:

Supposing you have dry gangrene in on one toe, is it ok to let it amputate itself?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 48-year old asked:

If you have dry gangrene in your toe is it safe to let the toe fall off on its own?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 23-year old asked:

If a person has gangrene in his toe, why is it necessary to eliminate half of his leg?

4 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in

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