Introduction
Abscesses can occur in different parts of the body, such as the breast, skin or teeth, and can cause discomfort. Abscesses are particularly feared because of possible complications, especially blood poisoning. Abscesses are collections of pus that have their own capsule.
The pus accumulates in a body cavity that is formed by tissue fusion and was not there before. To the main article: Abscess – cause, symptoms, therapy and prognosis. You might also be interested: Abscess – The different forms.
To remove an abscess, you have to open it and remove the pus. To prevent it from reoccurring in the same place, the abscess and its capsule should be removed. The therapy of choice for an abscess is the surgical opening. There are different procedures for this, which differ depending on the location and extent of the abscess…
Course of the operation for an abscess
Which surgical procedure is suitable for an abscess depends strongly on the type and location of the abscess. A common procedure is abscess splitting. Splitting of the abscess is mainly performed on superficial skin abscesses.
The procedure can be performed under regional anesthesia as well as under general anesthesia (under narcosis). The region around the abscess is first cleaned and disinfected. The procedure is performed under sterile conditions.
The abscess is opened with an incision. If the abscess is a little deeper, the tissue above the abscess is spread with a clamp. In this case, we speak of a blunt preparation, since the tissue is not further cut with a scalpel.
Once the abscess is opened, the surgeon drains the pus. The abscess cavity is then rinsed so that all the remains of the pus are flushed out. Dead tissue may also be removed.
The wound is deliberately left open and not sutured so that the tissue can heal from the inside out and an abscess cannot form again under the suture. If necessary, a kind of flap or plastic tube, also called a drainage, is inserted so that the wound does not grow immediately and any remaining pus and wound secretion can drain away. Abscess splitting is usually completed within a few minutes and can often be performed on an outpatient basis.
This is not the case if abscesses are located deep in the body, for example in the abdominal cavity. In this case, simple abscess splitting is not possible. A major surgery, in which the entire abscess including its capsule must be removed, may be necessary.
This is the case with an intestinal abscess. This is a major procedure that takes place under general anesthesia and is usually accompanied by an opening of the abdominal cavity. In this case an inpatient follow-up treatment is necessary.
Anal abscesses also usually require adapted surgical procedures. Basically, the abscess is also opened and the pus removed; however, the location of the abscess may require a special incision. Anal abscesses can be very close to the sphincter muscle, so the position of the abscess must be checked again and again using an ultrasound device. This ensures that the sphincter muscle is not injured by an incorrect incision.
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