CELLULITIS

Cellulitis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with cellulite.
Cellulitis
Classification and external resources

Infected left shin
ICD-10 L03.
ICD-9 682.9
DiseasesDB 29806
eMedicine med/310 emerg/88 derm/464
MeSH D002481
Cellulitis is a diffuse inflammation[1] of connective tissue with severe inflammation of dermal and subcutaneous layers of the skin. Cellulitis can be caused by normal skin flora or by exogenous bacteria, and often occurs where the skin has previously been broken: cracks in the skin, cuts, blisters, burns, insect bites, surgical wounds, or sites of intravenous catheter insertion. Skin on the face or lower legs is most commonly affected by this infection, though cellulitis can occur on any part of the body. The mainstay of therapy remains treatment with appropriate antibiotics.
Erysipelas is the term used for a more superficial infection of the dermis and upper subcutaneous layer that presents clinically with a well defined edge. Erysipelas and cellulitis often coexist, so it is often difficult to make a distinction between the two.
Cellulitis is unrelated (except etymologically) to cellulite, a cosmetic condition featuring dimpling of the skin.