Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability of scoring systems to predict the length of hospital stay in cases of Fournier’s gangrene (FG), and to contribute to the potential development of new scoring systems to more accurately predict the length of hospital stay of FG patients.
Materials and Methods: This retrospective study examined the data of FG patients treated between January 2016 and April 2021. The length of hospital stay was evaluated using demographic characteristics, laboratory values, vital signs, and Fournier’s Gangrene Severity Index (FGSI), Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis (LRINEC), and Combined Urology and Plastics Index (CUPI) scores.
Results: A total of 28 patients were treated for FG during the study period. The mean length of hospital stay was 13.7±5.4 days. The median FGSI, LRINEC, and CUPI score was 2 (min–max: 0–11), 4 (min–max: 0–10), and 5.5 (min–max: 1–9), respectively. The analysis indicated that the CUPI score had a statistical correlation with the length of hospital stay; the FGSI and LRINEC were not found to have a significant predictive ability of the length of hospitalization.
Conclusion: The findings indicated that the FGSI and LRINEC disease severity scores were not sufficient to predict the length of hospital stay. The CUPI scoring system was more useful but was judged to be a weak model. Improvement or a new scoring instrument based on additional research is needed.