Case Scenario

Ms. G., a 23-year-old diabetic, is admitted to the hospital with a cellulitis of her left lower leg. She has been applying heating pads to the leg for the last 48 hours, but the leg has become more painful and she has developed chilling.

Subjective Data

• Complains of pain and heaviness in her leg.
• States she cannot bear weight on her leg and has been in bed for 3 days.
• Lives alone and has not had anyone to help her with meals.

Objective Data

• Round, yellow-red, 2 cm diameter, 1 cm deep, open wound above medial malleolus with moderate amount of thick yellow drainage
• Left leg red from knee to ankle
• Calf measurement on left 3 in > than right
• Temperature: 38.9 degrees C
• Height: 160 cm; Weight: 83.7 kg

Laboratory Results

• WBC 18.3 x 10¹² / L; 80% neutrophils, 12% bands
• Wound culture: Staphylococcus aureus

Question:

– Based on Ms. G’s signs and symptoms what phase of the inflammatory response do you think she is in?

-Give rationale and describe what occurs during that phase.

Only use the following as reference to answer this question:

– Use the attached article “Systemic Inflammatory Response”:

Kaplan, L. J., MD. (2018, May 7). Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome. Retrieved from https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/168943-overview#a4