- Joined
- Dec 29, 2014
Dry gangrene isn't as worrisome as wet gangrene. Dry means the toe will slowly lose circulation, mummify and fall off during a sock change, like an alcoholic's version of losing a baby tooth. There's no blood going to or from the tissue, so it stays contained.
Wet gangrene or gas gangrene is perfused; the infection hops into the bloodsteam to commute to the rest of the body.
Looking at a picture of this foot and reading that patient history, I think the advice-givers realized that this is not the kind of person who is proactive about their health, and is unlikely to wait in an ED for hours for a toe they can't even feel. "Uhh, you wanna see your doctor about that, buddy" is the best you're going to get here.
I'm not super knowledgeable about gangrene but wouldn't dry gangrene have a line of demarcation? This seems to be extending up from his toe into his foot.