Overview
Look For
- Swelling of the lower limb due to fluid accumulation.
Pitting Oedema
How to Elicit
- Apply pressure to the anterior aspect of the tibia for fifteen seconds and then release.
Look For
- Persistence of the depressed area after pressure is removed.
Causes of Pitting Oedema
- Fluid overload - excessive IV fluids, renal failure, heart failure
- Right ventricular failure
- Venous pathology - thrombosis / insufficiency
- Dependency (the effect of gravity)
- Hypoalbuminaemia - malnutrition, malabsorption, nephrotic syndrome, liver (synthetic) failure
Non-Pitting Oedema
Look For
- Oedema to the lower limbs that does not pit.
Causes of Non-Pitting Oedema
- Impaired lymphatic drainage
- Pretibial myxoedema (hypothyroidism)
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