Health encyclopaedia

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Complications of Cellulitis

People with severe cellulitis or those not improving with antibiotic tablets may need to be treated in hospital with antibiotics given straight into a vein.

In rare cases, the cellulitis may cause complications such as blood poisoning (septicaemia), by spreading through the bloodstream.

Although rare, if left untreated cellulitis can cause other complications including:

• An abscess forming (a ball of pus in the infected area)
• Muscle or bone infections
• A cellulitis around an eye can spread to infect the brain
• Infection of the heart valves
• Damage to lymph drainage
• Dead tissue may need to be removed

Some forms of severe cellulitis may require surgery and leave a person with scarring.

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