1 year of venous eczema being misdiagnosed as cellulitis

Venous Eczema of left ankle -
heading for venous leg ulcer.
Incorrectly treated as cellulitis
for a year

Venous Eczema of same left
ankle -
Incorrectly treated as cellulitis
for a year

This patient came to The Whiteley Clinic for a second opinion recently, unhappy that his "cellulitis" wasn't improving.

The man had had varicose veins for years, clearly seen in the photographs.

Last year, when his ankles started to swell and he started getting red patches around his ankles, especially on the left, he went to his family doctor who told him that he had "cellulitis" - and infection of the skin.

He was was treated over last summer and autumn with antibiotics - 8 weeks in total - and not surprisingly had no effect from these.

He was referred to a consultant dermatologist who gave him steroid cream - which once again made no difference (as we would expect).

Eventually the patient themselves heard about The Whiteley Clinic and referred himself.

Duplex ultrasound scanning at The Whiteley Clinic showed that he has venous reflux (varicose veins) causing swelling of the ankles (oedema) and skin damage. The veins will be easy to treat by The Whiteley Protocol under local anaesthetic.

When the ankles swell due to varicose veins or hidden varicose veins, or there is skin damage from this cause, then there is a high risk of the patient going on to develop venous leg ulcers.

Treatment with antibiotics or steroid creams do not change this. All such patients should be sent to a specialist vein clinic and have venous duplex ultrasound scan performed by a specialist.

Treatment of the underlying varicose veins (or hidden varicose veins) is performed under a local anaesthetic through tiny pin-holes and not only cures the venous eczema - but also stops any further deterioration, preventing leg ulcers.

For more information see: www.venouseczema.co.uk