A bad leg
BMJ 2005; 330 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/sbmj.050260 (Published 01 February 2005) Cite this as: BMJ 2005;330:050260
- Steven Kennish, senior house officer in general surgery1
- 1Pinderfields Hospital, Yorkshire School of Surgery
Your senior house officer visited a 74 year old man in the emergency department. He shows you a photograph of his right lower leg taken after he had examined it (figure).
The man's lower right leg
Questions
Name the clinical sign?
List three common causes of this problem?
The patient's abdomen was also grossly swollen and tense; what is this most likely to be due to?
Answers
Pitting oedema
Any three of heart failure, deep vein thrombosis, cellulitis, renal disease, proteinuria, cirrhosis, carcinomatosis, thrombophlebitis, malnutrition, lymphoedema, and immobility
Abdominal ascites
Discussion
We are …
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