Cellulitis resident survival guide: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
(→Don'ts) |
|||
| Line 21: | Line 21: | ||
{{SK}} | {{SK}} | ||
==Overview== | ==Overview== | ||
[[Cellulitis]] is [[inflammation]] of deeper layers of the [[skin]] including the dermis and subcutaneous tissue. It is mostly due to bacterial infection. The [[bacteria]] | [[Cellulitis]] is the [[inflammation]] of deeper layers of the [[skin]] including the [[dermis]] and [[subcutaneous tissue]]. It is mostly due to [[bacteria|bacterial]] [[infection]]. The [[bacteria]] usually invades the deeper layers after breaching [[skin]] barrier. Common [[bacteria]] such as [[streptococcus pyogenes]], [[staphylococcus aureus]], [[haemophilus influenzae|haemophilus influenza type B]], [[clostridium]], [[streptococcus pneumoniae]] and [[neisseria meningitidis]] usually involve the lower [[Limb (anatomy)|limbs]]. It presents clinically with [[medical sign|signs]] of [[inflammation]] such as [[erythema|redness]], [[edema|swelling]], warmth, [[pain]]. [[Risk factors]] for [[cellulitis]] include a weakened [[immune system]], [[diabetes]], [[lymphedema|lymphatic obstruction]], and [[varicose veins]]. It is treated conservatively with [[mouth|oral]] [[antibiotic|antibiotics]] in uncomplicated cases. [[Route of administration|Parenteral]] [[antibiotic|antibiotics]] are administered in [[patients]] with systematic [[symptoms]] and progressive lesions. [[Incision and drainage]] are done if discrete [[abscess|abscesses]] are present. | ||
==Causes== | ==Causes== | ||
Revision as of 17:19, 9 January 2021
| Cellulitis Resident Survival Guide Microchapters |
|---|
| Overview |
| Causes |
| Diagnosis |
| Treatment |
| Do's |
| Don'ts |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Mydah Sajid, MD[2]
Synonyms and keywords:
Overview
Cellulitis is the inflammation of deeper layers of the skin including the dermis and subcutaneous tissue. It is mostly due to bacterial infection. The bacteria usually invades the deeper layers after breaching skin barrier. Common bacteria such as streptococcus pyogenes, staphylococcus aureus, haemophilus influenza type B, clostridium, streptococcus pneumoniae and neisseria meningitidis usually involve the lower limbs. It presents clinically with signs of inflammation such as redness, swelling, warmth, pain. Risk factors for cellulitis include a weakened immune system, diabetes, lymphatic obstruction, and varicose veins. It is treated conservatively with oral antibiotics in uncomplicated cases. Parenteral antibiotics are administered in patients with systematic symptoms and progressive lesions. Incision and drainage are done if discrete abscesses are present.
Causes
Life Threatening Causes
No known life-threatening causes are included.
Common Causes
The cellulitis is bacterial in origin caused by invasion of bacteria through the skin barrier. The common causes are listed below.[1][2][3]:
- Streptococcus pyogenes
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Haemophilus influenza type B
- Clostridium
- Streptococcus pneumoniae
- Neisseria meningitidis
Diagnosis
Shown below is an algorithm summarizing the diagnosis of cellulitis according to the Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines.[4][5][6]
| Perform compression doppler ultrasound of the limb and D-dimers level | |||||||||||||||||
| Positive | Negative | ||||||||||||||||
| Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is likely. | DVT unlikely. High clinical suspicion for cellulitis | ||||||||||||||||
| Assess levels of inflammatory markers | |||||||||||||||||
| Raised erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) and leukocytosis | |||||||||||||||||
Perform the following tests:
| |||||||||||||||||
Treatment
Shown below is an algorithm summarizing the treatment of cellulitis.[7][5][1][8][9]
Does the cellulitis present with purulent discharge? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Yes | No | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Are there any of the following present?
| Incise and drain any discrete abscess:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Yes | No | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Initiate Oral antibiotic therapy.
The coverage of the microorganisms is determined by:
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Yes | No | Yes | No | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Initiate antibiotics that cover both MRSA and gram negative rods.
To cover MRSA: Plus one of the following to cover for gram negative rods: | Regimens include: | Assess patient's risk for infective endocarditis | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Yes | No | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Do's
- Supportive care including elevation of the limb and adequate moisturizing of the cellulitis site should be done. The elevation of the limb promotes venous and lymphatic drainage from the site. Moisturize the affected site with emollients and moisturizers. It will hydrate the skin and prevent breakouts.[5]
- Physicians should prescribe antibiotics for patients according to their body weight. Obese or lymphedema patients can be given a lower dose than their body weight, which results in inadequate response and failure of the treatment.[10]
- The duration of antibiotic treatment is variable and depends upon the clinical improvement of the cellulitis. Mostly, there is significant improvement within a day or two after the initiation of the antibiotics. The patient should receive the treatment for five days. The antibiotic course is given for two weeks in patients with systematic symptoms, low immunity, and rapidly progressive cellulitis.[5][11]
Don'ts
- Suppressive antibiotic therapy is administered to patients with three to four episodes of cellulitis per year with predisposing factors that can not be alleviated. Suppressive antibiotic therapy is directed against beta-hemolytic streptococci and staphylococci infection. Suppressive antibiotic therapy is not beneficial in patients with greater than three episodes of cellulitis in a year, chronic edema, and obesity.[12]
- Physicians should not perform incision and drainage for discrete abscesses in patients with high susceptibility of bacterial endocarditis without prior administration of the antibiotic. 2 grams of oral amoxicillin should be given to the patient an hour before performing incision and drainage of the infected site.[13]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Raff AB, Kroshinsky D (2016). "Cellulitis: A Review". JAMA. 316 (3): 325–37. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.8825. PMID 27434444.
- ↑ Semel JD, Goldin H (1996). "Association of athlete's foot with cellulitis of the lower extremities: diagnostic value of bacterial cultures of ipsilateral interdigital space samples". Clin Infect Dis. 23 (5): 1162–4. doi:10.1093/clinids/23.5.1162. PMID 8922818.
- ↑ Swartz MN (2004). "Clinical practice. Cellulitis". N Engl J Med. 350 (9): 904–12. doi:10.1056/NEJMcp031807. PMID 14985488.
- ↑ Hook EW, Hooton TM, Horton CA, Coyle MB, Ramsey PG, Turck M (1986). "Microbiologic evaluation of cutaneous cellulitis in adults". Arch Intern Med. 146 (2): 295–7. PMID 3947189.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Stevens DL, Bisno AL, Chambers HF, Dellinger EP, Goldstein EJ, Gorbach SL; et al. (2014). "Practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of skin and soft tissue infections: 2014 update by the infectious diseases society of America". Clin Infect Dis. 59 (2): 147–59. doi:10.1093/cid/ciu296. PMID 24947530.
- ↑ Beltran J (1995). "MR imaging of soft-tissue infection". Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am. 3 (4): 743–51. PMID 8564693.
- ↑ Miller LG, Quan C, Shay A, Mostafaie K, Bharadwa K, Tan N; et al. (2007). "A prospective investigation of outcomes after hospital discharge for endemic, community-acquired methicillin-resistant and -susceptible Staphylococcus aureus skin infection". Clin Infect Dis. 44 (4): 483–92. doi:10.1086/511041. PMID 17243049.
- ↑ Bobrow BJ, Pollack CV, Gamble S, Seligson RA (1997). "Incision and drainage of cutaneous abscesses is not associated with bacteremia in afebrile adults". Ann Emerg Med. 29 (3): 404–8. doi:10.1016/s0196-0644(97)70354-8. PMID 9055782.
- ↑ Fitch MT, Manthey DE, McGinnis HD, Nicks BA, Pariyadath M (2007). "Videos in clinical medicine. Abscess incision and drainage". N Engl J Med. 357 (19): e20. doi:10.1056/NEJMvcm071319. PMID 17989377.
- ↑ Halilovic J, Heintz BH, Brown J (2012). "Risk factors for clinical failure in patients hospitalized with cellulitis and cutaneous abscess". J Infect. 65 (2): 128–34. doi:10.1016/j.jinf.2012.03.013. PMID 22445732.
- ↑ Hepburn MJ, Dooley DP, Skidmore PJ, Ellis MW, Starnes WF, Hasewinkle WC (2004). "Comparison of short-course (5 days) and standard (10 days) treatment for uncomplicated cellulitis". Arch Intern Med. 164 (15): 1669–74. doi:10.1001/archinte.164.15.1669. PMID 15302637. Review in: ACP J Club. 2005 Mar-Apr;142(2):45
- ↑ Thomas KS, Crook AM, Nunn AJ, Foster KA, Mason JM, Chalmers JR; et al. (2013). "Penicillin to prevent recurrent leg cellulitis". N Engl J Med. 368 (18): 1695–703. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1206300. PMID 23635049. Review in: J Fam Pract. 2014 Jan;63(1):E10-2
- ↑ Thornhill MH, Dayer M, Lockhart PB, Prendergast B (2017). "Antibiotic Prophylaxis of Infective Endocarditis". Curr Infect Dis Rep. 19 (2): 9. doi:10.1007/s11908-017-0564-y. PMC 5323496. PMID 28233191.