Health Articles : Infections : Cellulitis
Cellulitis : Pediatric Cellulitis
Keflex CellulitisCellulitis is a potentially severe bacterial infection of your skin. Cellulitis emerges as a swollen, ..... The pain in a pediatric cellulitis in an extremity is generally the presenting symptom. It is extreme and frequently out of proportion with the physical findings. NF has a propensity for the extremities, but can take place anywhere there is deep fascia. In the first 24-48 hours, it is linked with edema, erythema, and warmth of the skin overlying the necrotizing tissue. After that point, the skin shall become dusky and discolored. It shall develop blisters and bulla over the next seven to ten days. During that time, the discoloration shall become sharply demarcated. Its tenderness will also disappear as the superficial nerves experience ischemia. This progression is both faster and more serious than that seen in cellulitis or erysipelas. If not addressed, NF shall quickly progress to multi-organ failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome, renal impairment, coagulopathy, liver abnormalities, and generalized erythroderma.
Although the diagnosis of NF is primarily clinical, laboratory workup and imaging might be helpful. Surgical probing and frozen section biopsy are used for diagnosis of NF, but these are invasive and take time to complete. There shall be a high index of suspicion for NF to move straight to surgery. Therefore, the most vital steps of medical management are probably the gram stain and cultures of both the blood and the wound, if one is present. This shall help guide antibiotic therapy over the course of the disease. In addition, routine blood work such as a CBC and chemistry panels might be helpful.
Cellulitis DefinitionIn simplest terms cellulitis may be explained as the inflammation of the connective tissues that lies beneath the skin, which is generally caused by bacterial ..... Imaging in a pediatric cellulitis shall also be very useful in differentiating NF from cellulitis. Crepitus or soft tissue gas on plain x-rays are mostly pathognomonic for NSTI. However, these are only found in 37%-57% of the cases. More currently, MRI and CT scans have been investigated to identify NF. Contrast enhanced images might show asymmetric thickening of the deep fascia and/or gas bubbles in the deep tissue. However, MRI might overestimate the extent of disease and intravenous contrast might be contraindicated in some patients in shock or with renal failure. In most cases, however, empiric treatment should be initiated as soon as possible, even prior to obtaining imaging results.
Peritonsillar CellulitisPeritonsillar abscess are also known as quinsy. These refer to a relatively common infection of the Peritonsillar space. It is often reported as the most .....
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