A 54-year-old man with diabetes has severe leg pain, fever, erythema, bullae, crepitus, and hypotension. Pain is out of proportion to skin findings.

Question

A 54-year-old man with diabetes has severe leg pain, fever, erythema, bullae, crepitus, and hypotension. Pain is out of proportion to skin findings. Creatinine is elevated. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?

Accepted Answer

Immediate surgical exploration and debridement with broad-spectrum antibiotics

Answer

Compression stockings

Answer

Delayed imaging until outpatient MRI

Answer

Topical mupirocin alone

Answer

Oral cephalexin and next-week review

Necrotizing soft tissue infection — USMLE Step 3 MCQ

A 54-year-old man with diabetes has severe leg pain, fever, erythema, bullae, crepitus, and hypotension. Pain is out of proportion to skin findings. Creatinine is elevated. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?