avoidingERrors - By Jesse - January 28, 2017
"Summary
Before diagnosing cellulitis
- 1. consider overdiagnosis: is it non-infectious?
- -skin: eczema/dermatitis
- -joint: gout
- -chronic arterial: dependent rubor
- -chronic venous: stasis
- -acute venous: DVT, thrombophlebitis
- 2. consider underdiagnosis: is it a complicated infection?
- -NF: feel for crepitus, pain out of proportion, anesthesia, edema beyond. POCUS: Subcutaenous Thick, Air, Fascial Fluid. Get a surgery consult if you’re concerned, regardless of labs/imaging, and give broad-spectrum antibiotics early
- -abscess: POCUS to diagnose and guide I&D
- -foreign body: POCUS for foreign body"
