Irrigation Versus no Irrigation for Cutaneous Abscess

Irrigation of the abscess cavity is commonly described as part of the procedure of incision and drainage of cutaneous abscesses (1-4). Despite this, there are no randomized controlled trials that demonstrate the benefit of irrigation in treatment of these abscesses. Potential disadvantages of irrigation include increased procedural time, pain, increased cost with sterile irrigation solutions and materials to capture the irrigation effluent, and increased risk of microbiologic contamination of the surrounding area. The goal of this study is to examine patients undergoing incision and drainage of cutaneous abscesses to determine if irrigation of the abscess cavity affects the need for further interventions.