ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the case study of a 55-year-old woman. A 55-year-old woman presents to the accident and emergency department with a 6-day history of swelling of her right lower leg. She has been finding it increasingly difficult to walk due to the pain. The right leg is hot, swollen and erythematous with indistinct borders. Blisters are forming at the margins of the involved skin and several have broken down leaving eroded areas, which are weeping. This patient has cellulitis of the right leg. She has the classic signs of erythema, heat, swelling and local tenderness. As with most cases of lower leg cellulitis there was no history of trauma or preceding skin disease in this case. Benzylpenicillin, cephalosporins or macrolides can be given. Initially patients should rest, elevate their legs and given suitable analgesia. Topical treatment may include potassium permanganate soaks, deflation of tense blisters, applications of topical antibiotics to any eroded areas and gentle compression to reduce the oedema.
