{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,19]],"date-time":"2026-10-19T16:09:13Z","timestamp":1792426153491,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":22,"publisher":"S. Karger AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,21]],"date-time":"2025-01-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1737417600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/karger.com\/pages\/terms-and-conditions"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,21]],"date-time":"2025-01-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1737417600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/karger.com\/pages\/terms-and-conditions"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Urol Int"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Introduction: Fournier\u2019s gangrene (FG) is a life-threatening necrotizing infection of the perineal, genital, or perianal regions, often requiring extensive surgical intervention and prolonged recovery. Despite advances in acute management, the long-term impact of FG on patients\u2019 self-esteem and quality of life (QoL) remains underexplored. Methods: This retrospective study included 48 patients treated for FG at seven urological centres in Austria between 2017 and 2022. Several in-house data were collected and patients were contacted after a mean of 4.5 years to complete a questionnaire including the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5), Short Form (SF-12) QoL questionnaire, and the Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSE). Results: The study recruited 48 patients with a median age of 64 years; 58.7% required intensive care unit stays due to infection (median duration, 6 days). The in-house mortality rate was 8.3%. Survivors (n = 44) had a median hospitalization of 16 days. They were contacted by mail, and 18 completed the questionnaire. There was a high prevalence of urinary symptoms and erectile dysfunction, wound pain, and impaired QoL. Severe erectile dysfunction (IIEF-5 score \u22647) was reported by 46.2%, and 38.9% reported Visual Analog Scale pain score \u22654. Impaired self-esteem (mean RSE score: 12.4) correlated with functional impairments, including urinary symptoms (IPSS \u226520 in 55.6%), erectile dysfunction, and wound-related pain. Physical and mental health were strongly associated with decreased self-esteem, with hypertension (61.1%) and alcohol abuse (16.7%) negatively impacting outcomes. Conclusion: FG negatively impacts patients\u2019 self-esteem and QoL, particularly in the presence of pre-existing risk factors. The findings highlight the importance of integrated rehabilitation approaches to mitigate long-term psychological and functional impairments. <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1159\/000543614","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,22]],"date-time":"2025-01-22T12:01:00Z","timestamp":1737547260000},"page":"437-444","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Fournier\u2019s Gangrene Leads to Lower Quality of Life and Self-Esteem"],"prefix":"10.1159","volume":"109","author":[{"given":"Sebastian","family":"Lenart","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Julia","family":"Dorfinger","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sebastian","family":"Graf","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Florian","family":"Wimpissinger","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dennis","family":"Schallmayer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Livia","family":"Huber","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Valentin","family":"Bachler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lukas","family":"Lusuardi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Malavika","family":"Krishnakumar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Stephan","family":"Madersbacher","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Michael","family":"Lotterst\u00e4tter","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"127","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1756287215584740"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1464-410X.2012.11082.x"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7759\/cureus.18948"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fsurg.2022.994936"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.purol.2023.02.008"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jss.2019.07.097"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/s0022-5347(17)36966-5"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/sj.ijir.3900472"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/sj.ijir.3900997"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/00005650-199603000-00003"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.13109\/zptm.2020.66.3.272"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/pas0000754"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1590\/S1677-5538.IBJU.2017.0193"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijid.2019.12.030"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/s0022-5347(01)67236-7"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/codi.12396"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-021-91954-1"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-023-37579-6"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.15288\/jsa.1978.39.491"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.15288\/jsa.1976.37.990"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00345-010-0638-z"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/NCC.0000000000000366"}],"container-title":["Urologia Internationalis"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/karger.com\/uin\/article-pdf\/doi\/10.1159\/000543614\/4326328\/000543614.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/karger.com\/article-pdf\/doi\/10.1159\/000543614","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,2]],"date-time":"2025-10-02T16:05:05Z","timestamp":1759421105000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/karger.com\/article\/doi\/10.1159\/000543614"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,21]]},"references-count":22,"journal-issue":{"issue":"5","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,2]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,1]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1159\/000543614","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["0042-1138","1423-0399"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0042-1138","type":"print"},{"value":"1423-0399","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,21]]}}}