Gangrene is what happens when soft tissues in the body become starved of oxygen and die. This is generally caused by lack of blood flow to the tissue or an infection. Gangrene commonly develops on the outermost extremities such as the hands and feet, but it can affect any soft tissue in the body, including your organs. Gangrene comes in two main varieties. The first is called dry gangrene, and it tends to develop in people who have diabetes, blood vessel disease, or an autoimmune disorder. It starts on either the tips of the fingers or the tips of the toes. It’s named dry gangrene because the affected areas dry out until they appear to be mummified. Infection is not normally present with dry gangrene.
