Suggest Treatment For Swelling And Foul Smelling Liquid Discharge In The Lower Legs

Posted on Fri, 4 May 2018

Question: Severely swollen legs that are seeping clear water below the knees. Person is male age 67. Has frequent coughing spells, little or no appetite and has lost quite a lot of weight over 3 to 4 weeks. He is very week. The fluid that is seeping from the lower legs has an unpleasant oder. Prescrs given to him in 10/25/17 were OF Bromphenir, Promethazine -DM and Prednisone.

Answered by Dr. Rishu Saxena (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Can be congestive cardiac failure.

Detailed Answer:
Hi thanks for posting query on this forum.
Most likely he is having severe edema in body.
Most common cause of edema in old age can be an ongoing coronary artery disease.In such a condition, the arteries supply insufficient amount of oxygen and blood to the heart. Subsequently, the heart receives scanty amount of nutrients and oxygen.Slowly and slowly it loses its pumping action causing reversal of blood into lungs and other part of body leading to severe edema.Sometimes the sudden,unanticipated blockage of the coronary artery and the ensuing stoppage of the flow of the blood lead to a heart attack. The heart muscles are damaged in such a case and prevent the proper functioning further worsening the condition.
Kidney and liver can also be involved.

Suggestion
Take him to hopsital and get following investigations done-
2d echo of heart- to rule out working of heart.
Renal function tests
Serum electrolytes
urine culture
Swab culture from oozing fluid
liver function tests
ultra sound abdomen.
Pulmonary function test.

These tests should be performed initially and proper medictions should be started after that.

Follow up with reports!

Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad