referral criteria from primary care - leg ulcer infection

Last edited 02/2020

Referral or seeking specialist advice

• refer adults with an infected leg ulcer to hospital if they have any symptoms or signs suggesting a more serious illness or condition, such as sepsis, necrotising fasciitis or osteomyelitis
  
  
• consider referring or seeking specialist advice for adults with an infected leg ulcer if they:
• have a higher risk of complications because of comorbidities, such as diabetes or immunosuppression
• have lymphangitis
• have spreading infection that is not responding to oral antibiotics
• cannot take oral antibiotics (exploring locally available options for giving intravenous or intramuscular antibiotics at home or in the community, rather than in hospital, where appropriate)

Reference:

• NICE (2020). Leg ulcer infection: antimicrobial prescribing.