nurse's notes

Gas gangrene is a severe soft tissue infection with muscle necrosis that may complicate compound fractures or contused or lacerated wounds or surgical incision. There are different species of Clostridia may produces gas gangrene.

Sign and Symptoms:
>severe pain at the site of injury
>tenderness and discoloration of the surrounding skin
>affected muscles are reddish purple and black
>watery fluid with foul odor from the affected site
>fever
>apprehension and increase cardiac rate of the patient
>anorexic

Nursing Care:
> extreme care to prevent further spread of the infection to other wounds
>strict compliance of aseptic technique
>use only single dressing for the patient alone
>isolate the patient
>encourage fluid intake and nutritiuos foods
>high caloric diet