Linfangitis - Overview

Definición:

Es una infección de los vasos (canales) linfáticos y es una complicación común de una infección bacteriana.

Causas:

El sistema linfático es una red de ganglios, conductos, vasos linfáticos y órganos que producen y movilizan un líquido llamado linfa desde los tejidos hasta el torrente sanguíneo. Para mayor información sobre esta parte del cuerpo, ver sistema linfático.

La linfangitis casi siempre resulta de una infección aguda de la piel por estreptococos y, con menor frecuencia, es causada por una infección estafilocócica. La infección hace que los vasos linfáticos resulten inflamados.

La linfangitis puede ser un signo del empeoramiento de una infección de la piel. Esto debe despertar la preocupación de que la bacteria se puede diseminar al torrente sanguíneo, lo cual puede causar problemas potencialmente mortales.

La linfangitis se puede confundir con un coágulo en una vena (tromboflebitis).

Reviewed last on: 6/9/2011
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

Referencias

Pasternack MS, Swartz MN. Lymphadenitis and lymphangitis. In: Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R, eds. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2009:chap 92.

Stevens DL. Streptococcal infections. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 312.

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