Definition
Carbuncles, also known as boils, are an inflammation of several adjacent hair follicles. A carbuncle can develop from an inflammation of a single hair follicle, which is called a boil, which then spreads to other hairs and these also become inflamed as a result. Carbuncles can occur anywhere on the body where there is hair.
They occur mainly on the face or buttocks and can be extremely painful. If the inflamed area heals, healing with scarring usually occurs. It is strongly discouraged to express or otherwise manipulate the carbuncles themselves, because the inflammation is usually only worse and the scarring is usually much worse.
Symptoms of carbuncle
The symptoms of carbuncle are the usual signs of infection. These include: In addition, my can feel a rough knot, which usually becomes quickly visible as a yellow pustule. Around the pus node there is an overheated, reddened skin.
The surroundings and the knot are usually painful. Also fever and a general feeling of illness with tiredness and fatigue can occur. There may also be swollen lymph nodes in the surrounding area, they can also cause pain, but they are usually only painful under pressure and usually do not cause any problems.
The pus plug usually empties by itself when it bursts open. However, it can take a few days before the pus plug bursts open on its own. However, you should never try to manipulate the carbuncle yourself, even if it has already burst open.
- Overheating
- Pain
- Redness
- Swelling
Carbuncle therapy
Depending on the size and location of the carbuncle, there is a conservative or surgical option. In most cases, however, carbuncles must be surgically removed or cut open to remove the pus and treated with antibiotics. Surgery is in most cases the only possibility to heal a carbuncle, because pulling ointments or other creams often do not lead to healing.
These usually only help when it is a single hair follicle, i.e. boils. The operation of a carbuncle is normally not performed under general anesthesia, but under a so-called local anesthesia (local anesthesia). However, depending on the size, it is also possible that a local anesthesia is not sufficient and the operation must still be performed under general anesthesia.
First, the area around the carbuncle is disinfected and separated from the rest of the skin with sterile cloths. After disinfection, the local anesthetic is injected. The area to be operated on is then injected with a local anesthetic in a fan shape.
At this point, the sensation is clearly limited and any sensation of pain is completely eliminated, so that one should not feel any pain when cutting out, but at most notice a pressing and pulling. The effect can be checked by touching the skin with a pointed object and asking the patient if he/she still feels anything. After checking the effect, a spindle is now drawn around the carbuncle to mark the cutting lines.
The shape of the spindle is used to bring the edges of the wound closer together, leaving a more beautiful and less visible scar, which is particularly important in the area of the face. The position of the spindle is selected on the basis of so-called skin gap lines in order to have as little tension as possible on the suture afterwards. A higher tension can lead to a reopening of the wound and finally to a larger and more visible scar.
The next step is the removal of the complete carbuncle. Depending on its size, the carbuncle can be opened and the pus drained or the carbuncle can be removed as a whole. If you open the pus cavity and let the pus flow off, the cavity is rinsed and cleaned several times.
The last step is to sew up the wound again. It may be advisable to administer an antibiotic after the operation to prevent the spread of inflammatory germs. The stitches used should ideally be removed after about 7-8 days.
All articles in this series:
