In spite of surgical, intensive, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the gas gangrene is still one of the most dangerous surgical infections. In recent literature, the average mortality is about 50%. The patients die within a few days because of general intoxication. A review of our own results achieved between 1971 and 1981 shows that 50 out of 73 patients with clostridium infection and all 77 patients in whom a gas gangrene was suspected have survived [ 2 ]. For the prognosis and therapy of the gas gangrene, the classification into stages I to IV according to the severity has proved to be useful. The prognosis depends on the incubation period (the shorter the incubation period the worse the prognosis), on the beginning of the treatment and on the site of a primary or secondary gas gangrene. The more distally the gas gangrene is situated in the extremities, the better is the prognosis with regard to mortality and invalidity. An early diagnosis of the gas gangrene is of primary importance. As early as a gas gangrene is suspected because of typical local findings and clinical symptoms, therapeutic measures are immediately necessary (surgery, intensive treatment and hyperbaric oxygen therapy). A transport of more than six hours with prolonged interruption of the treatment will decrease the chances of success even in a "gas gangrene therapy centre".
尽管采用了手术、强化治疗和高压氧治疗，气性坏疽仍是最危险的外科感染之一。在最近的文献中，平均死亡率约为50%。患者会因全身中毒在数天内死亡。回顾我们在1971年至1981年间取得的成果，发现73例梭菌感染患者中有50例存活，所有77例疑似气性坏疽的患者也均存活[2]。对于气性坏疽的预后和治疗，根据严重程度分为I至IV期已被证明是有用的。预后取决于潜伏期（潜伏期越短，预后越差）、治疗开始时间以及原发性或继发性气性坏疽的部位。气性坏疽在四肢的位置越靠远端，在死亡率和致残率方面的预后就越好。气性坏疽的早期诊断至关重要。一旦因典型的局部表现和临床症状怀疑气性坏疽，立即采取治疗措施（手术、强化治疗和高压氧治疗）就很有必要。即使在“气性坏疽治疗中心”，运输时间超过6小时且治疗长时间中断也会降低成功的几率。
