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Gangrene is the medical term for the death of soft tissue as a result of the loss of blood supply to the affected part of the body. The loss of blood supply in turn can result from a disorder of the circulatory system, from trauma, or from infection. Gangrene most commonly involves the fingers, toes, hands, or feet, but can also develop within the internal organs. There are two major types of gangrene, dry and wet. Dry gangrene is caused by a gradual loss of blood flow through the arteries. It typically develops slowly over a period of years as the person impaired by atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), diabetes, or long-term smoking. Wet gangrene develops much more rapidly than dry gangrene. It is caused by an untreated wound infection or by bacteria growing in tissue that has broken down as a result of pressure. Bedsores are a type of wet gangrene that may develop in patients who are bedridden for long periods of time. Gas gangrene is a deadly subtype of wet gangrene caused b...

Definition Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is defined as the most severe form of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, or FASD. It is characterized by abnormalities in facial features, slowed growth, and abnormalities in the structure and functioning of the brain and spinal cord. Description ’ s ability to learn, ’ s learning and behavioral problems persist over his or her lifetime, ’ s facial features usually become less noticeable as he or she Demographics Researchers estimate that about 1 percent of the general U.S. population is affected by fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and that 40,000 babies are born every year with some kind of birth defect caused by the mother drinking. However, fetal alcohol syndrome itself is the only disorder in this group that has been formally defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). Fetal alcohol syndrome is estimated to occur in one or two out of every 1,000 live births in...

Ear infections are caused by either a bacterial or fungal infection of the outer ear or a viral or bacterial infection of the middle ear. The outer ear is the visible part of the ear plus the ear canal, a small passage that conducts sound waves from the outside to the middle ear. The middle ear is a group of structures that include the eardrum and three small bones called ossicles that convey sound energy from the ear canal to the structures of the inner ear. The middle ear is connected to the upper throat by a passageway called the Eustachian tube, which has two major functions: to equalize air pressure between themiddle ear and the air outside the body and to drain fluid or mucus from the middle ear into the throat. Description Infection of the outer ear, or otitis externa, is a skin infection caused by bacteria or fungi that get into the skin of the ear canal through a scratch or other small break in the skin. The skin lining the ear canal is very thin and easily damaged. If a perso...