STUDY NOTES ⚕️

Cancrum oris is a special type of gangrene.

Causes:

🔍 Malnourishment.

🔍 Major diseases like diptheria, Whooping cough, measles, kala azar, typhoid, etc.

🔍 These factors lead to invasion of opportunistic organisms like the Vincent’s organisms – Borrelia vincentii and fusiforms causing ulcerations, erosions and eventually fibrosis.

Clinical Presentation:

👩‍⚕️ It is an extensive ulcerative disease of the cheek mucosa usually occuring in malnourished children.

👨‍⚕️ As the disease progresses, there may be complete reduction of the cheek thickness.

Treatment:

💊 Ryle’s tube feeding.

💊 Improve the nutrition.

💊 Appropriate antibiotics: Metronidazole 400mg thrice daily for 7-10 days.

💊 Surgical reconstruction of the cheek.

Complications:

⚠️ Fibrosis leading to restricted movement of the jaw.

⚠️ Sepsis, toxaemia and death.

SOURCE: Manipal Manual of Surgery (3rd edition)

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~Sunantha✍️