Cellulitis

Question 1

What is cellulitis?

Answer 1

Cellulitis is a noncontagious inflammation of the connective tissue of the skin, resulting from a bacterial infection.

Question 2

List two common causative organisms of cellulitis

Answer 2

1. Streptococcus bacteria

2. Staphylococcus are the most common

Question 3

State the mechanism of Cellulitis a patient

Answer 3

The skin normally has many types of bacteria living on it. Whrn there is a break in the skin, however, bacteria can ebter the body and cause infection and inflammation. The skin tissue in the infected area becomes red, hot, irritated and painful.

Question 4

List risk factors of Cellulitis.

Answer 4

1. Cracks or peeling skin between the toes.
2. History of peripheral vascular disease.
3. Injury or trauma with a break in the skin(skin wounds) .
4. Insect bites and stings, animal bites, or human bites.
5. Ulcers from diabetes or a blockage in the blood supply (ischemia).
6. Use of corticosteroids medications that suppress the immune system.
7. Wound from a recent surgery.

Question 5

What investigation would you do to confirm cellulitis?

Answer 5

1. Blood culture: To identify the causative organism.

2. Complete blood count(CBC): To see tje magnitude of infection (raised ESR, Leukocytes, Lymphocytes).

Question 6

When do you admitt the patient to treat the cellulitis?

Answer 6

Admission criteria:

1. S/he is very sick (very high temperature, blood pressure problems, nausea and vomiting that does not go away).
2. S/he has been on antibiotics and the infection is getting worse.
3. The immune system of the patient is not working well( due to cancer, HIV).

Question 7

What do you do to reduce the swelling, control the infection and pain?

Answer 7

1. Antibiotics to control the infection.
2. Analgesics to control the pain.
3. Raise the infected area higher than the heart to reduce swelling
4. Bed rest until symptoms improve.

Question 8

List any complications of untreated Cellulitis

Answer 8

1. Bone infection (osteomylitis)
2. Inflammation of the lymph vessels (lymphangitis).
3. Meningitis (if cellulitis is on the face).
4. Sepsis, shock.
5. Tissue death (gangrene).

Question 9

Differential of Cellulitis

Answer 9

1. DVT
2. Erysipelas
3. Abscess

Question 10

Symptoms of Cellulitis

Answer 10

1. Pain
2. Redness
3. Warmth
4. Swelling
5. Chills
6. Fever
7. Headache
8. Regional lymphadenopathy

Question 11

Signs of Cellulitis

Answer 11

1. Tenderness
2. Localized erythema
3. Tenderness + edema
4. Lymphangitis + regional lymphadenopathy
5. Temperature >38°c
6. Tachycardia
7. Hypotension
8. Delirium
9. Pseud’orange skin.