Introduction

Fournier’s Gangreneis a type of necrotising fascitis affecting external genitalia and/or perineum or peri-anal region, which commonly affects men, but can also occur in women and children. Many terms have been used to describe this clinical condition including Idiopathic gangrene of the scrotum, Synergistic necrotising cellulitis, Periurethral phlegmen, Streptococcal scrotal gangrene, and Phagedma.

Although this clinical entity has been described initially by Baurienne in 1764^[1]and Avicenna in 1877², it is named after French Parisian Venerologist Jean Alfred Fournier, who reported 5 cases of fulminant gangrene of penis and scrotum in young men in 1883.

Initially Fournier’s Gangrene was defined as an idiopathic entity, but subsequent research showed suppurative bacterial infections in majority of cases resulting in micro thrombosis of small subcutaneous blood vessels leading to development of gangrenous patches of overlying skin.

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Dr O.K. Maurya

M.B.B.S.; M.S.(General Surgery), D.A., Associate Professor,

Department of Surgery, Nalanda Medical College & Hospital, Patna, Bihar, India