Acute Cellulitis Of The Lower Leg

The red rash area may get worse or spread over time.

Acute cellulitis of the lower leg. Cellulitis must be differentiated from lower leg eczema2 oedema with blisters acute venous problems including deep venous thrombosis DVT thrombophlebitis and liposclerosis and vasculitis 3. 1 The majority of cellulitis episodes 6981 occur in the lower limbs. In the acute phase signs may be localised to a single plaque but are usually more widespread.

Clinical features of acute class 2-4 cellulitis of the lower leg. Cellulitis is a common acute bacterial infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissue. You might start feeling unwell a few days before the cellulitis appears.

Patients with a history of cellulitis particularly of the lower limbs have an estimated recurrence rate of 820. It is important to see a doctor early before the cellulitis infection worsens and affects a larger area. It most often affects the lower legs but can occur anywhere.

Ascending cellulitis which extends up the leg of the lower leg is usually due to streptococcal or sometimes staphylococcal infection. Acute lipodermatosclerosis may mimic cellulitis with induration erythema pain itch aching and a feeling of swelling or heaviness in one or more often both lower limbs 2. They have an Ankle Brachial Pressure Index between 08 and 13 or Toe Brachial Pressure Index 07 for treatment with full compression therapy.

Inappropriate diagnosis of cellulitis is a problem and would need prospective rather than retrospective studies to quantify the extent. These findings indicate that improved awareness and management of toe web intertrigo which may harbor bacterial pathogens and other skin lesions might reduce the incidence of cellulitis. Unlike cellulitis this condition can.

In more severe cases cellulitis can also be accompanied and often preceded by. Because of the absence of confirmatory tests the diagnosis of cellulitis is clinical although the role of inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein is under investigation. Patients with a history of cellulitis particularly of the lower limbs have an estimated recurrence rate of 82012Patients with recurrent cellulitis should be carefully evaluated for any predisposing factors such as lower limb oedema lymphoedema dermatitis tinea pedis and measures taken to address them.