How Necrotic Tissue Develops and How It’s Treated
Necrosis is the death of tissues of the body.
The resulting damage cannot be reversed.
The term gangrene refers to a large area of necrosis.
Verywell / Cindy Chung
This article discusses the types of necrosis as well as the causes and risk factors.
It also covers symptoms of necrotic tissue and how its treated.
Each throw in has distinct features.
Coagulative necrosis can affect any organ in the body except for the brain.
The necrotic tissue becomes firm and pale in comparison to surrounding tissues.
Liquefactive Necrosis
Liquefactivenecrosis happens as a result of a bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasiticinfection.
Liquefactive necrotic tissue softens until it turns into apus-filled abscess.
The most common cause of caseous necrosis istuberculosisa bacterial disease that leads to caseous necrosis in the lungs.
Fibrinoid Necrosis
Fibrinoid necrosis is necrosis that occurs within blood vessels.
It is commonly triggered by immune reactions that damage blood vessels.
Gangrenous necrosis is categorized as wet, dry, or gas.
Patterns of Necrosis
Coagulative necrosis refers to a specific appearance that necrosis can have.
It is defined by dead cells that sustain their shape for several days after the cells have died.
Caseous necrotic tissue has a cheese-like appearance.
The necrotic tissue becomes yellowish-white and soft with a well-defined border around the affected area.
Fat necrotic tissue is speckled with small, white chalky deposits.
These white spots are formed by calcium and fatty acids that are deposited into the necrotic tissue.
Fibrinoid necrotic tissue is usually not visible to the naked eye.
With gangrenous necrosis, affected skin may appear blue or black.
There may also be a foul-smelling discharge and a loss of sensation in the affected area.
Blood clots and blood vessel damage are just two of the many causes that can trigger necrosis.
Anything from a car accident to falling from a ladder can result in a traumatic injury that triggers necrosis.
Frostbite, in which tissues are severely damaged by cold, is a common cause of necrosis.
If frostbite is not treated quickly, the frostbitten area turns black and dies (gangrene).
These necrotic tissues cannot be healed and are typically removed via surgical amputation.
DVT usually happens in the legs (but can happen anywhere in the body).
Infection
A wide variety of bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections can trigger necrosis.
Even a minor cut or scrape that gets infected can lead to necrosis.
Some types of infection more commonly cause necrosis than others.
In particular, the bacteria called group AStreptococcusis thought to be the most common necrotizing infection.
Venom injected into the skin from abrown recluse spider bitecan cause necrosis unless treated quickly.
Bites and stings from numerous other creatures cause necrosis, including spiders, snakes, scorpions, and jellyfish.
Abusing alcoholalso puts you at a greater risk of developing necrotic tissue.
Alcohol is cytotoxic, meaning that it is toxic to your cells.
Abusing heavy amounts of alcohol over time can kill liver cells and trigger necrosis in your liver.
Long-term use ofcorticosteroidssuch as prednisolone is associated with a higher risk of necrosis.
Necrosis is a common complication of the autoimmune disease lupus.
People who treat their lupus symptoms with corticosteroids are at an especially greater risk.
Can you take care of necrosis on your own?
In many cases, necrosis treatment starts by identifying and addressing the cause of cell death.
Restoring blood flow to the affected areas is the most important priority to prevent further damage.
Once the blood supply has been restored, which may require surgery, any dead tissue can be removed.
Removal of Tissue
Removal of necrotic tissue (akasurgical debridement) prevents the spread of infection.
Treatment could also involve the amputation of a limb.
Medication
Antibiotics or antifungal medicines are prescribed to fight the infection.
This may aid in wound healing however, the data is inconclusive.
Summary
Necrosis is the death of tissues of the body.
It can be brought on by many factors like insufficient oxygen, infection, trauma, or radiation therapy.
Necrosis has been categorized into different types based on distinct features, including appearance.
Symptoms include pain, swelling, and fever, along with notable skin issues.
Treatment typically includes surgery, along with medications and possible oxygen therapy.
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