Treatment

The key event in the treatment of this condition is early diagnosis.

Once the diagnosis is established:

• expert help should be consulted
  
  
  
  
• surgical treatment involves wide excision or amputation of affected tissue(s)
  
  
• antibiotics:
  • high dose penicillin
  • metronidazole in addition
    
    
• antitoxin:
  • widely used in wartime
  • doubtful value
    
    
• hyperbaric oxygen:
  • to eradicate the required anaerobic environment
  • may be effective
  • requires special apparatus - if available it should be administered