To summarize the infective characteristics of Fournier's gangrene (FG) and evaluate the effect of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT).

A retrospective case control study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 31 patients with FG admitted to Peking University First Hospital from May 2010 to September 2020, including 29 males and 2 females, aged 21-78 years [(55.2±2.0)years]. A total of 29 patients were caused by infectious diseases of the perianal and urinary system, and the rest two patients were caused by vulvar infection and retroperitoneal abscess. A total of 23 patients were treated with NPWT (Group A) and 8 patients were treated with conventional dressing (Group B). Characteristics of pathogen, drug-resistance rate, medical treatment and prognosis for all patients were summarized. The hospitalization duration, numbers of operation and wound healing time were compared between two groups.

Monomicrobial infection was identified in 14 patients, while polymicrobial infection in 15 patients, fungal infection in 1 and culture-negative in 1. Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus haemolyticus were the most common pathogenic bacteria. The resistance rate of gram-negative bacilli to third-generation cephalosporins was 37%. Staphylococcus haemolyticus were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus. The carbapenem antibiotics combined with vancomycin antibiotics were used for all patients as the empirical anti-infection treatment. Three patients died, and the rest 28 patients were followed up for 3 to 12 months [(10.8±2.6)months] after discharge. All the wounds were healed well without recurrence. In Group A and Group B, the hospitalization duration was (37.4±15.0)days and (47.0±16.0)days, respectively (P>0.05); the number of operation was 3(3, 6) times and 13(4, 17)times, respectively (P<0.05); the wound healing time was (38.9±17.8)days and (61.8±14.2)days, respectively (P<0.05).

Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcus and Staphylococcus haemolyticus are the most common pathogenic bacteria for FG, among which the proportion of drug-resistant bacteria is relatively high. NPWT is an effective adjuvant therapy for wound management with reduced operation times and short wound healing time compared to conrentional method.

Fournier gangrene; Negative-pressure wound therapy; Fasciitis, necrotizing; Anti-bacterial agents; Prognosis