Fournier's Gangrene in Females: Presentation and Management at a Tertiary Center.

OBJECTIVE: To report and compare presentation and management of Fournier's Gangrene (FG) in female vs male patients at a single tertiary care center. METHODS: Patient demographics, clinical characteristics, treatments and outcomes were summarized and compared between males and females who were treated for FG from 2011 to 2018 at a single institution. RESULTS: Of the 143 patients treated for FG at our institution, 33 (23%) were female. Female patients were predominantly white (82%), with a median (IQR) age of 55 (46, 59). Median female boby mass index (BMI) was 42.1 (32, 50.4). Female patients' wound cultures were polymicrobial mix of gram positive and gram negative organisms. Median number of debridements for females was 2 (1,3). The most common anatomic region of gangrene involvement in females was labia (76%) followed by perineum (55%) and gluteus/buttocks (42%). Mortality rate during initial admission was 6% for females. Female patients had a higher median BMI than males (42.1 vs 33.7 respectively; P = .003). FG severity index, length of hospital stay, number of debridements, and wound cultures were comparable to males. The surgical team managing initial debridements differed with females managed primarily by general surgery and males primarily by urology. Mortality rate was comparable to men (6% vs 7%, P >.05). CONCLUSION: Female patients with FG have greater BMI but similar clinical presentation, microbiologic characteristics and mortality rate compared to men. Urologists have little involvement during initial management for females at our institution.

Does Timing of Diagnosis and Management of Iatrogenic Ureter Injuries Affect Outcomes? Experience From a Tertiary Center.

OBJECTIVE: To report urologic outcomes from a series of IUIs, sustained during nonurologic procedures, with regards to timing of diagnosis and management of the injury. Iatrogenic ureteral injury (IUI) is the most common mechanism of ureteral trauma. Injuries can be intraoperatively diagnosed (IOD) or postoperatively diagnosed (POD). METHODS: This was a retrospective chart review of adult patients at a single institution who sustained an IUI from a non-urologic procedure between 2008 and 2019. Primary outcome was tube-dependence (ureter stent or nephrostomy tube) and nephrectomy rates at last follow-up. Secondary outcome was the number of additional urologic procedures required to manage subsequent complications of IUI. RESULTS: There were 30 patients with IOD and 57 patients with POD. In the IOD group, at mean follow up of 6.3 months, 4 patients (14.3%) were tube dependent. In the POD group, at mean follow up of 13.1 months, 5 patients (10%) were tube dependent (P = .570). Rate of nephrectomy was higher in POD group compared to IOD, but the difference was not statistically significant (12.3% vs 6% respectively, P = .414). Additionally, in the POD group, 56% and 19.3% required a secondary and tertiary procedure to manage IUI complications, respectively. These rates were 16.7% (P < .001) and 3.3% (P = .002) in the IOD group. CONCLUSION: Delayed diagnosis of IUI was significantly associated with increased number of procedures needed to manage the injury. The rate of nephrectomy and tube dependence in this group was higher but not statistically significant. Delayed diagnosis of IUI is associated with higher treatment burden.

Microorganisms and Antibiogram Patterns in Fournier's Gangrene: Contemporary Experience from a Single Tertiary Care Center.

PURPOSE: We evaluate the prevalent microorganisms, antibiotic sensitivity patterns and associated outcomes in patients with Fournier's gangrene. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review of patients with Fournier's gangrene was conducted between October 2011 and April 2018 at our institution. Univariate analysis was performed using the independent t-test or Kruskal-Wallis H test for continuous variables and exact test for categorical variables. RESULTS: Of the 143 patients included in this study, wound culture was available in 131 (92%) patients with a median number of 3 microorganisms per wound. The most commonly grown pathogens were Staphylococcus species (66, 46%), Streptococcus species (53, 37%), Bacteroides species (34, 24%), Candida species (31, 22%), Escherichia coli (28, 20%) and Prevotella species (26, 18%). Most bacteria were sensitive to ampicillin-sulbactam, ceftriaxone, piperacillin-tazobactam, amikacin and cefepime, and resistant to ampicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, levofloxacin and clindamycin. Enterococcus faecalis and Streptococcus anginosus were resistant to vancomycin. The overall Fournier's gangrene mortality count was 14 (10%) patients. No association was noted between the type of infection and Fournier's gangrene severity index, length of hospital stay or mortality. CONCLUSIONS: At our institution Candida is a prevalent pathogen in the wound culture of patients with Fournier's gangrene. The resistance patterns for clindamycin and vancomycin are concerning. Addition of an antifungal agent to the empiric treatment should be considered based on clinical presentation.