CLINICAL STUDY ON CELLULITIS IN A TERTIARY CENTRE

Dr. Alex Arthur Edwards; Dr. G. Kamalin Viji; Dr. R. Pradeep Rao

Volume : VIII, Issue : XII, December - 2019

CLINICAL STUDY ON CELLULITIS IN A TERTIARY CENTRE

Dr. Alex Arthur Edwards, Dr. G. Kamalin Viji, Dr. R. Pradeep Rao

Abstract :

Introduction Cellulitis is a non–suppurative, invasive infection caused by bacteria that is characterized by specifically affecting the dermis and subcutaneous fatty layer by normal skin flora or exogenous bacteria. The lower limbs are affected commonly following a each due to cracks, eaks, blisters, surgical wounds, ulcers in the skin. Untreated conditions will lead to sequential changes causing severe morbidity and sometimes mortality. Aim To study the age and sex distribution, risk factors, treatment modalities of patients admitted as cellulitis cases in Department of General Surgery, Government Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital from August 2017 to Feuary 2018. Results In this study on 100 patients, 76 had lower limb cellulitis and 24 had upper limb cellulitis. Age group commonly affected was from 40 – 60 yrs of age. Most of the patients had Grade III cellulitis. Among the patients with risk factors of Diabetes mellitus, snake bites, the site of bite or the toes or the metatarsal below showed lytic changes, or destruction due to the gangrenous changes. It is observed that 75 patients in the study group required surgical deidement, 48 of them required decompression of the muscular compartment by means of a fasciotomy.