Soft tissue disease

Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2003 Feb;29(1):77-88, vi. doi: 10.1016/s0889-857x(02)00079-0.

Abstract

In the assessment of patients with soft tissue complaints, it is important to consider infectious etiologies in the differential diagnosis, especially in immunocompromised hosts. The exact categorization of some bacterial infections of the soft tissues may be difficult. The structures potentially involved include the skin, subcutaneous tissue, fascia, and skeletal muscle. Classification is usually based upon the anatomic structure involved, the infecting organism, and the clinical picture. The categorization is complicated by the fact that some infections may involve several soft tissue components and multiple bacterial species. In this review, we will cover cutaneous and subcutaneous tissue infections, fasciitis, septic bursitis, tendonitis, and pyomyositis.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Bursitis / diagnosis
  • Bursitis / microbiology
  • Cellulitis / diagnosis
  • Cellulitis / microbiology
  • Cellulitis / therapy
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Humans
  • Myositis / diagnosis
  • Myositis / microbiology
  • Skin Diseases, Bacterial / diagnosis
  • Skin Diseases, Bacterial / microbiology
  • Skin Diseases, Bacterial / therapy
  • Soft Tissue Infections / diagnosis*
  • Soft Tissue Infections / microbiology*
  • Soft Tissue Infections / therapy
  • Tenosynovitis / diagnosis
  • Tenosynovitis / microbiology