Over the last century, medicine has made a huge step forward, the times when pathogenic bacteria could destroy entire cities are far behind. Currently, the use of antibiotics with a wide spectrum of action can effectively stop the manifestations of the infection or cure it completely. Nevertheless, even today, no one is completely immune from diseases that, if not properly and timely treated, can cause disability or death. One of these diseases is phlegmon. Initially, it is not a fatal disease, but its progress can provoke blood poisoning and thereby cause the death of the patient.
Nature of phlegmon
Flegmon of the foot is a disease of an infectious nature. With this disease, adipose tissue is damaged as a result of purulentinflammation. With pathology, the complete destruction of subcutaneous adipose tissue occurs. The intensity of the process directly depends on the severity of the disease, the presence of other diseases, the state of the patient's immunity. Compared with other pathologies of similar etymology, phlegmon has no clearly defined boundaries of localization, it penetrates much deeper than the skin. A characteristic feature of the disease is that the patient develops and develops painful subcutaneous inflammation, manifested by swelling with purulent contents. In some cases, the inflammation process is accompanied by chills and high fever.
Pathogen
The causative agents of phlegmon of the foot (photo below) are pathogenic pathogenic bacteria of various types. The most common causative agent is Staphylococcus aureus. This microorganism provokes purulent inflammation both after infection with a bacterium of an open wound, and in the absence of damage to the skin. Staphylococcus aureus is not only the most common causative agent of phlegmon, but also the most destructive. If the disease is severe, the bacterium destroys body tissues fantastically quickly. Delayed treatment or its complete absence inevitably leads to such serious consequences as sepsis and thrombophlebitis of the lower limb.
Flegmon of the foot can be triggered by other pathogenic bacteria, depending on the conditions and method of infection. Water and soil contain Pseudomonas aeruginosa, infection of which canoccur through a cut or deep scratch on the skin. Cellulitis caused by the bacterium Pasturella multocida can develop as a result of a pet bite. This pathogenic microorganism lives in abundance in the organisms of cats and dogs. Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae can be transmitted through contact with marine animals, crabs and fish.
Consider the causes of cellulitis.
Causes of occurrence
The main reason why phlegmon develops is the pathogen entering the subcutaneous layer, where its active reproduction begins. This disease is a consequence of the weakening of the immune system under the influence of a wide variety of factors that contribute to the appearance of a gap in the body's natural barrier. The infection process can occur in several ways and depends on the nature of the pathogen:
- Violation of the integrity of the skin. It is much easier for bacteria to get into the subcutaneous layer if there are bites, cuts, scratches, and wounds on the skin. The risk of infection increases many times over if the skin has been damaged during cleaning of fish or during agricultural work.
- The presence of inflammatory processes in the body. Along with external factors, the inflammatory process occurring inside the body can become the cause of the development of phlegmon. In this case, the pathogen passes from the focus of inflammation to the subcutaneous fat layer. The mediator is the lymphatic or circulatory system. Phlegmon can be triggered by inflammation in any organ.
- Presence of concomitant diseases. Contribute to the development of phlegmon can diseases similarnature, such as purulent arthritis or osteomyelitis.
Indirect causes
There are also a number of indirect reasons that contribute to the development of pathology. Phlegmon of the leg can develop against the background of general exhaustion of the body due to a chronic disease, with diabetes mellitus, tuberculosis, AIDS. Such diseases significantly weaken the immune system, and therefore the likelihood of infection in negative conditions increases significantly. Infection also contributes to intoxication on the background of drug addiction or chronic alcoholism. It is important to note that the destructive power of phlegmon will be the stronger, the weaker the person's immunity.
If a person's immunity is strong, then when a phlegmon appears, it will have a small localization and is able to pass without any treatment. An example is minor inflammation of scratches or cuts that do not pose a strong danger to the body.
How does toe cellulitis manifest?
Symptomatics
The course of the disease depends on the nature of its pathogenic agent. For example, when infected with putrefactive staphylococcus or Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a putrefactive type of phlegmon develops. When infected with obligate anaerobes, the pathology develops very aggressively, symptoms appear rapidly. Virulence is weakly expressed when affected by weakened strains of the pathogen, which contributes to the chronic course of phlegmon, in which symptoms are practically not manifested. Nevertheless, all types of pathology have common clinical signs, according towhich the disease can be diagnosed.
With phlegmon of the foot, inflammation can always be observed. This is the most obvious sign of the presence of the disease. The affected area becomes swollen, there is a slight redness due to pus that has accumulated under the skin. Palpation of this area is painful, and its temperature is elevated.
Another symptom of leg phlegmon is swelling. Against the background of intoxication of tissues located near the source of infection, there is extensive swelling of the limb.
General deterioration
Also, the patient notes a general deterioration in well-being. The spread of pathology and destruction of tissues is accompanied by infiltration of nearby areas. The general condition of the infected worsens, there is a strong fever. In the absence of proper treatment, a severe degree of intoxication of the body occurs.
It is important to note that a disease such as hemostatic dermatitis, which is not infectious, can be disguised as phlegmon. It occurs when the blood supply to the affected area deteriorates.
Treatment of foot phlegmon
Given the high likelihood of developing severe complications, the treatment of phlegmon should be carried out under the strict supervision of a specialist. The disease is characterized by rapid spread, so inadequate therapy can lead to extensive infection of tissues, disability and death. Treatment can be conservative (with antibiotics) or surgical. It depends on the nature of the pathogen that caused the disease,and stage of the disease. If the inflammation is superficial, and the disease is at an early stage, treatment using the UHF physiotherapy procedure is allowed.
Surgical drainage
When phlegmon putrefactive type shows surgical drainage of inflammation. To do this, incisions are made through which pus is removed. After the focus of inflammation has been removed, the patient is prescribed restorative therapy, including antibiotics and the use of bactericidal dressings.
Therapy of superficial inflammation with phlegmon of the right leg or left, which is at the initial stage of development, can be carried out by intramuscular injection of potent antibiotics ("Gentamicin", "Ampioks", benzylpenicillin sodium s alt). Let's say taking broad-spectrum antibiotics orally, such as Biseptol, Sulfadimethoxine, Ampicillin.
Bed rest
The patient is shown bed rest during the treatment period, the rest of the injured limb should be ensured. The area of inflammation must be warmed up with a heating pad. Symptomatic therapy allows the use of drugs that relieve pain. This type of therapy must necessarily be agreed with a competent specialist, since only a doctor can accurately determine the degree of tissue inflammation. With self-treatment, extensive tissue damage is not excluded as a result of the spread of a pathological disease to tissues located near the focus of inflammation.
Immunomodulation
After the focus of inflammation of purulent phlegmon of the leg was eliminated, the patient is shown to undergo immunomodulation aimed at strengthening the body's protective barrier. The patient must remember that after a cured phlegmon, the likelihood of re-infection remains. This is due to the increased sensitivity of the body to pathogens. Rehabilitation therapy involves giving up bad habits, switching to a special diet, taking immunomodulatory medications, and conducting wellness procedures.
Measures to prevent cellulitis
The main measure to prevent cellulitis is to avoid breaking the skin, especially if there are conditions that increase the risk of infection. Care should be taken when cleaning and cutting fish - mucus from the scales, if it enters the wound, causes inflammation in almost 100% of cases.
A cut or scratch, if any, must be properly treated. This in many cases avoids infection by pathogenic microorganisms. Injured skin should be immediately treated with an antiseptic - it can be a solution of brilliant green, iodine or alcohol. Then a sterile bandage or bactericidal patch is applied.
If there are foreign objects in the form of splinters or splinters in a cut or scratch, they must be removed. After that, the wound should also be treated with an antiseptic and a bandage applied. When the first signs of infection appear, immediate medical attention is recommended. This will allow you to start timely treatment and avoidextensive spread of the inflammatory process.
Thus, with simple precautions, the risk of cellulitis is significantly reduced.
We looked at the causes, symptoms and treatment of foot phlegmon.
