Gangrene (decomposition and infection) does not occur until after a certain amount of cell death (necrosis) in living tissue. Aside from direct contamination with disease organisms (gas gangrene), gangrene seldom appears sooner than 48 to 72 hours after necrotic onset, depending on the temperature and tissue condition. Because the dead tissues spread infection to adjacent cells, removing them is the primary treatment, as well as applying antibiotics to limit bacterial growth.
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Once a person is officially diagnosed with gangrene, they typically die within one month of the diagnosis. However, medicine has advanced over the years and gangrene can typically be cured now a day.
Depending on the severity of the gangrene, it can either be lethal in as little as a week or as long as many years. Gangrene is treatable, so it doesn't often kill people who seek help.