Cellulitis

People with lymphoedema are prone to recurrent episodes of cellulitis, and urgent antibiotic treatment is essential to control the spread of the infection.

Recommended antibiotics are:

• dicloxacillin or flucloxacillin: 500mg orally, every 6 hours, for 7–10 days, or
• clindamycin (for patients allergic to penicillin): 450mg orally, every 8 hours.

Patients should be advised to:

• rest in bed and elevate the affected body part
• continue using their compression garment, if comfortable and tolerable
• cease lymphatic drainage until the cellulitis has resolved.

In cases of frequent recurrence of cellulitis, consider continuous prophylaxis – the recommended plan is:

• phenoxymethylpenicillin: 250mg orally, twice daily, for 6 months initially.