title: Fournier's gangrene: review of 120 patients and predictors of mortality.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fournier's gangrene (FG) is a devastating and potentially fatal disease requiring prompt and aggressive debridement. In this study, it was aimed to assess the predictors of mortality in a large cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospectively maintained data of patients with FG were analyzed. Demographic data, duration of symptoms, Uludag Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index (UFGSI) scores, co-morbidities [particularly diabetes mellitus (DM)], etiologies, number of debridement, stoma requirements, length of intensive care unit and hospital stay, and morbidity and mortality rates were reviewed. Multivariate analysis was performed in order to determine factors affecting mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  120 patients (81 males) were included in the study. Median age was 58 (22-85) years. UFGSI score was median 9 (1-30). DM was present in 69 (57.5%) patients. Etiology of FG was perianal in fifty-nine, urogenital in 52, and skin in 9 patients. Median debridement count was 3 (1-12). Thirty-one patients required stoma. Forty-eight patients were admitted to intensive care unit and 25 patients required mechanical ventilation. Overall mortality rate was 20.8%. Multivariate analysis revealed UFGSI as the only predictor of mortality (p=0.001). Mortality rate was 13.64 times higher for patients with a UFGSI score of 9 or higher.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fournier's gangrene is a mortal disease requiring emergency surgery. UFGSI is an efficient predictor of mortality for patients with FG.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Uludag University Faculty of Medicine, Bursa, Turkey. tunyil@uludag.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Tuncay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yılmazlar
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Uludag University Faculty of Medicine, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Özgen
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Işık
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Uludag University Faculty of Medicine, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ersin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Öztürk
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Uludag University Faculty of Medicine, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Özer
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Uludag University Faculty of Medicine, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Barış
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gülcü
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Uludag University Faculty of Medicine, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: İlker
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Ercan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015897:Comorbidity; D003646:Debridement; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus; D005260:Female; D018934:Fournier Gangrene / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult