The effectiveness of packing post incision and drainage among patients with skin abscesses in improved wound healing and reduced recurrence

Introduction: A skin abscess is an accumulation of pus beneath the skin and is among one of the most common skin and soft tissue infections. Skin abscesses can occur in anyone including healthy patients with no comorbidities. They can occur anywhere on the body, but are common in friction-prone areas such as the buttocks, breast and groin. Patients present with tender nodules with fluctuance, induration, and erythema. Definitive management for abscesses is incision and drainage, with or without the placement of packing material. The purpose of this article is to review the necessity of wound packing in the healing outcomes and recurrence of infection after incision and drainage compared to no packing in patients with a skin abscess. Evaluation of this topic has the potential to improve patient care while reducing overall health care costs. First, we will discuss the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and management options for skin abscess. Then, we will review the most recent literature to answer the aforementioned question at hand.Master of Health Scienc