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Compression Therapy in the Management of Cellulitis: A Comparative Study

Received: 31 March 2018     Accepted: 17 April 2018     Published: 10 May 2018
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Abstract

Cellulitis is a common condition causing significant morbidity. Conventional treatment has been mainly by the use of antibiotics, limb elevation and analgesics. There is no consensus on the role of compression therapy in the management of cellulitis. This study was a comparative study of patients who presented with cellulitis at Kenyatta National Hospital. The study was set to determine the effect of compression therapy as an adjunct in the treatment of limb lower limb cellulitis The study period was between May 2014 and May2015 Patients were randomly assigned into two groups through a computer generated program. Group A patients were managed with antibiotics, limbelevation, analgesia and elasticcompression therapy.. Group Bpatients were managed with elevation, antibiotics and analgesia. The antibiotic used was amoxyclavulinic acid while the analgesic was paracetamol and diclofenac. The parameters assessed wereoedema resolution, pain, tenderness and length of hospital stay. A total of eighty patients withcellulitis were recruited inbothgroupswith each arm having 40 patients. Group A patients who were managed with compression therapy had greater reduction in pain, tenderness and oedema as compared togroup B patients. The length of hospital stay was 10.2 days in group Aand 13.4 days in groupB. Elasticcompression therapy as demonstrated in this study is beneficial inthe management of cellulitis. It results in faster resolution of cellulitis with reduction in the length of hospital stay and with no increase in complications.

Published in Journal of Surgery (Volume 6, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.js.20180603.13
Page(s) 68-72
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2018. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Cellulitis, Compression Therapy, Outcome

References
[1] Raff AB, Kroshinsky D. Cellulitis: A Review. JAMA 2016; 316(3):325-337.
[2] Crest June 2005. www.acutemed.co.uk/docs/Cellulitis guidelines, CREST, 05.pdf
[3] Moffat. C., O’Hare. L. Venous leg ulceration: treatment by high compression bandaging.’ Ostomy Wound Management. 1995; 41: 16–25.
[4] Moffat C., O'Hare L., Charles H., Short-stretch bandaging in the treatment of venous legulcers.’ J. Wound Care 1999; 8: 303–304.
[5] Lucia Helena Rocha Vilela, Geraldo MagelaPain Assessment in Patients with Venous Leg Ulcer Treated by Compression TherapyWithUnnas BootJ Tissue SciEng, June 2016 7:171. doi:10.4172/2157-7552.1000171
[6] Brijesh NairCompression therapy for venous leg Indian Dermatol Online J. 2014 Jul-Sep; 5(3): 378–382. Doi:10.4103/2229-5178.137822
[7] Treadwell T, Fowler E, Jensen BB. Management of Edema in Wound Care: A CollaborativePractice Manual for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition. Eds.-Carrie Sussman and BarbaraBates Jensen, Lippincott, Wilkins, and Williams, New York, NY, 2012.
[8] Treadwell TA. Demystifying Compression: Answers That May Surprise You. Online continuing education webinar, http://www.slideshare.net/3MSkinWoundCare/3m-health-care-compression-webcast. 6/28/11.
[9] Beidler SK, Douillet CD, Berndt DFet al. Inflammatory cytokine levels in chronic venousInsufficiency ulcer tissue before and after compression therapy. J VascSurg2009; 49:1013–20.
[10] Beidler SK, Douillet CD, Berndt DFetal. Multiplexed analysis of matrix metalloproteinase’s in leg ulcer tissue of patients withchronic venousinssufficiency before and after compression therapyWound Repair Regen2008; 16:642–8.
[11] Treadwell TA, Macdonald J. Infection, Edema, and Compression Therapy: Are TheyCompatible? Poster presentation Symposium on Advanced Wound Care, San Diego, California, April 6-9, 2017.
[12] Woo PC, Lum PN, Wong SS, et al. ‘Cellulitis complicating lymphoedema. Eur J ClimicrobiolInfect Dis 2000; 19:294.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Kipsang Joseph, Nangole Wanjala, Khainga Stanley. (2018). Compression Therapy in the Management of Cellulitis: A Comparative Study. Journal of Surgery, 6(3), 68-72. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.js.20180603.13

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    ACS Style

    Kipsang Joseph; Nangole Wanjala; Khainga Stanley. Compression Therapy in the Management of Cellulitis: A Comparative Study. J. Surg. 2018, 6(3), 68-72. doi: 10.11648/j.js.20180603.13

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    AMA Style

    Kipsang Joseph, Nangole Wanjala, Khainga Stanley. Compression Therapy in the Management of Cellulitis: A Comparative Study. J Surg. 2018;6(3):68-72. doi: 10.11648/j.js.20180603.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.js.20180603.13,
      author = {Kipsang Joseph and Nangole Wanjala and Khainga Stanley},
      title = {Compression Therapy in the Management of Cellulitis: A Comparative Study},
      journal = {Journal of Surgery},
      volume = {6},
      number = {3},
      pages = {68-72},
      doi = {10.11648/j.js.20180603.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.js.20180603.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.js.20180603.13},
      abstract = {Cellulitis is a common condition causing significant morbidity. Conventional treatment has been mainly by the use of antibiotics, limb elevation and analgesics. There is no consensus on the role of compression therapy in the management of cellulitis. This study was a comparative study of patients who presented with cellulitis at Kenyatta National Hospital. The study was set to determine the effect of compression therapy as an adjunct in the treatment of limb lower limb cellulitis The study period was between May 2014 and May2015 Patients were randomly assigned into two groups through a computer generated program. Group A patients were managed with antibiotics, limbelevation, analgesia and elasticcompression therapy.. Group Bpatients were managed with elevation, antibiotics and analgesia. The antibiotic used was amoxyclavulinic acid while the analgesic was paracetamol and diclofenac. The parameters assessed wereoedema resolution, pain, tenderness and length of hospital stay. A total of eighty patients withcellulitis were recruited inbothgroupswith each arm having 40 patients. Group A patients who were managed with compression therapy had greater reduction in pain, tenderness and oedema as compared togroup B patients. The length of hospital stay was 10.2 days in group Aand 13.4 days in groupB. Elasticcompression therapy as demonstrated in this study is beneficial inthe management of cellulitis. It results in faster resolution of cellulitis with reduction in the length of hospital stay and with no increase in complications.},
     year = {2018}
    }
    

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    AU  - Kipsang Joseph
    AU  - Nangole Wanjala
    AU  - Khainga Stanley
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    AB  - Cellulitis is a common condition causing significant morbidity. Conventional treatment has been mainly by the use of antibiotics, limb elevation and analgesics. There is no consensus on the role of compression therapy in the management of cellulitis. This study was a comparative study of patients who presented with cellulitis at Kenyatta National Hospital. The study was set to determine the effect of compression therapy as an adjunct in the treatment of limb lower limb cellulitis The study period was between May 2014 and May2015 Patients were randomly assigned into two groups through a computer generated program. Group A patients were managed with antibiotics, limbelevation, analgesia and elasticcompression therapy.. Group Bpatients were managed with elevation, antibiotics and analgesia. The antibiotic used was amoxyclavulinic acid while the analgesic was paracetamol and diclofenac. The parameters assessed wereoedema resolution, pain, tenderness and length of hospital stay. A total of eighty patients withcellulitis were recruited inbothgroupswith each arm having 40 patients. Group A patients who were managed with compression therapy had greater reduction in pain, tenderness and oedema as compared togroup B patients. The length of hospital stay was 10.2 days in group Aand 13.4 days in groupB. Elasticcompression therapy as demonstrated in this study is beneficial inthe management of cellulitis. It results in faster resolution of cellulitis with reduction in the length of hospital stay and with no increase in complications.
    VL  - 6
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Author Information
  • Department of Surgery, Bungoma County Hospital, Bungoma, Kenya

  • Department of Surgery, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya

  • Department of Surgery, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya

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