OBJECTIVETo review the clinical characteristics and treatment strategies of Fournier's gangrene in HIV-positive patients.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical characteristics and therapeutic methods of 29 HIV-positive cases of Fournier's gangrene.

RESULTSThe patients were aged 21-81 (mean 34.2) years, 27 < or = 47 years and the other two 79 and 81 years old, respectively. All the patients were HIV positive and diagnosed as having Fournier's gangrene, with CD4+ T lymphocyte count < 320/mm3, and none had received any antiretroviral therapy. The two aged patients were complicated by diabetes mellitus. All the cases originated in scrotal or penile infection, with later involvement of the surrounding skin soft tissues. Aggressive surgical debridement, incision-drainage and broad-spectrum antibiotic medication were initiated right after admission, and scrotoplasty was performed for 4 cases. Twenty-six of the patients were recovered and the other 3 (10.3%) died after surgery, 1 from infectious shock and 2 from diabetes mellitus complicated by pulmonary infection and renal failure.

CONCLUSIONTimely aggressive surgical debridement, incision-drainage and broad-spectrum antibiotic medication are essential for the treatment of Fournier's gangrene in HIV-positive patients. We did not find any direct adverse impact of HIV infection on the prognosis of Fournier's gangrene.