[Anasarca caused by rheumatic carditis].

Report of a 55-year-old-male patient with most serious anasarca caused by insufficiency right heart. The reason of the heart failure was probably rheumatic carditis caused by streptococcal infections which followed recurrent erysipelas both legs with phleblymphedema. The necessity of consistent antibiotic treatment of the erysipelas, that's the only possibility to avoid more difficult secondary complications like this case of rheumatic carditis showed. The treatment of insufficiency heart was followed by physical decongestive therapy of the phleblymphedema of the legs. After a treatment period of 12 weeks a water loss of 112 kg and reduction of abdominal circumference from 250 cm to 150 cm could be achieved.