Surgery Overview of Necrosis in the Human Body By Jennifer Whitlock, RN, MSN, FN Jennifer Whitlock, RN, MSN, FN LinkedIn Jennifer Whitlock, RN, MSN, FNP-C, is a board-certified family nurse practitioner. She has experience in primary care and hospital medicine. Learn about our editorial process Updated on February 20, 2022 Medically reviewed Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. These medical reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Scott Sundick, MD Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD LinkedIn Scott Sundick, MD, is a board-certified vascular and endovascular surgeon. He currently practices in Westfield, New Jersey. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Types of Necrosis Causes and Risk Factors Treatment Frequently Asked Questions Necrosis in the death of tissues of the body. Necrosis can be treated, with the dead tissue being removed, but the affected tissue can not be returned to good health. Types of Necrosis One common type of necrosis is caused by damage from frostbite. During frostbite, the tissues are severely damaged by cold, and if the condition is not treated quickly, the frostbitten areas turn black and die. These black areas are necrotic, or affected by necrosis, and cannot be healed and are typically removed during surgery. Another type of necrosis happens when a clot, such as a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) forms in a blood vessel and blocks blood flow to an area of the body. If blood flow is not restored quickly, the area starves for oxygen and eventually dies. This usually happens in the legs (but can happen anywhere in the body) and can result in the loss of tissue below the site of the blockage if the blood vessel is completely blocked. Verywell / Cindy Chung Causes and Risk Factors Necrosis is caused by a lack of blood and oxygen to the tissue. It may be triggered by chemicals, cold, trauma, radiation or chronic conditions that impair blood flow. There are many types of necrosis, as it can affect many areas of the body, including bone, skin, organs and other tissues. It isn't always a clot or cold that leads to necrosis, these are just common examples. Many types of injuries can cause enough damage that necrosis happens. Infection can destroy surrounding tissues until they become necrotic, as can trauma like a car accident or fall from a ladder. Any time blood flow is blocked to an area, or an area is so damaged that blood can not flow to and from it, necrosis may be possible. Treatment The good news (and bad news) is that a complete blockage of blood flow is typically painful, and usually painful enough that the individual seeks treatment immediately. Treatment may include surgery to restore blood flow or to remove the damaged tissues, antibiotics to prevent or treat infection, or treating the burn or other issues that caused the initial damage. What Is Avascular Necrosis? Frequently Asked Questions What are the causes of necrosis? Necrosis can have various causes, which can lead to different types of damage to tissues:Hypoxia: Caused by ischemia (insufficient blood flow to an organ), shock, or respiratory failurePhysical agents: External injuries like trauma, extreme temperatures (for example, frostbite), radiation exposure, or electric shockChemical agents: Caused by poison, drug toxicities, or recreational drugsBiological agents: Bacteria, viruses, or fungiImmunologic reactions: Autoimmune responses (where the immune system attacks healthy tissues) What is coagulative necrosis? Coagulative necrosis refers to a specific appearance that necrosis can have. It is defined by dead cells that sustain their shape for several days after the cells have died, and is the usual appearance of most necrosis.The other appearance pattern of necrosis is called liquefactive necrosis (colliquative necrosis). It refers to dead tissues that decompose into a viscous liquid, sometimes appearing as a creamy yellow due to pus forming. How is necrosis treated? In many cases, necrosis treatment starts by identifying and addressing the cause of cell death. Restoring blood flow to the affected areas is the most important priority in order to prevent further damage. Once the blood supply has been restored, which may require surgery, any dead tissue can be removed. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 4 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Adigun R, Basit H, Murray J. Necrosis, cell (liquefactive, coagulative, caseous, fat, fibrinoid, and gangrenous). StatPearls. Basit H, Wallen TJ, Dudley C. Frostbite. StatPearls. Khalid N, Azimpouran M. Necrosis. StatPearls. Adigun R, Basit H, Murray J. Cell liquefactive necrosis. StatPearls.