noun
- Plural of phagedena; rapidly spreading, destructive ulcers or gangrenous conditions of the skin or mucous membranes.
Usage: medical; archaic; chiefly historical
Examples
- The physician documented cases of phagedenas affecting soldiers wounded in battle.
- Phagedenas were feared complications in pre-antibiotic medicine due to their rapid progression.
- Historical medical texts describe phagedenas as particularly destructive to facial tissues.