blood blisters

[lcrn]

I am caring for an elderly leukemia patient who has multiple blood blisters on both lower legs.  The blisters open and weep blood over serveral days before slowing and eventually stopping.  Her skin is overall fragile and dry, shedding in places, and easily bruises.  What is the best way to dress these blisters and prevent infection during the various stages, closed and dry to open and wet.  Also, would a pressure dressing/support stocking help or hinder healing.  Thank you.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

It seems to me that you should be asking these questions of the doctors or nurses primarily responsible for your patient.  I can't tell from your description whether these blisters are infected or not.  There is no single answer to a question like yours.  A competent health provider needs to see the legs and diagnose and treat them properly.  

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[sewsassy1]

When I was in Quito Ecuador I bumped my arm slightly which hurt a little. Within a few minutes my arm started filling up with blood under my skin. It was approximately 3 by 4 inches in diameter & was about 3/8 to 1/2 of an inch high. I was a little un-nerved since I was getting ready to board a plane to come back to the U.S. So I asked for some ice. I iced my arm then took off. I felt a little dizzy and somewhat nauseated. I kept it iced on the plane & it went down slightly. By the time I got home 10 hours later the blood seemed to have dispersed into my arm and the blister was about 1/4 inch tall. It has been 3 days since I got home & now it looks like a big bruise. It feels a little hard and bumpy & still hurts when touched. I have Hughes syndrome, a blood clotting disease & take aspirin daily in order to keep my blood from clotting. What happens to all of the blood that filled up in my arm? What happened to my arm? Do I need to worry about it clotting. This has never happened to me before. However on the way to Ecuador my ankles swelled up but not with blood. I blamed my problem on the high altitude of Ecuador.