glossary

gangrene

Definition gangrene

gangrene

gangrene n. death and decay of part of the body due to deficiency or cessation of blood supply. The causes include disease, injury, or *atheroma in major blood vessels, frostbite or severe burns, and diseases such as *diabetes mellitus and *Raynaud's disease. Dry gangrene is death and withering of tissues caused simply by a cessation of local blood circulation. Moist gangrene is death and putrefactive decay caused by bacterial infection. See also gas gangrene.