Primary Closure of Cutaneous Abscesses After Incision and Drainage

To compare the outcomes of primary versus secondary closure after incision and drainage of abscesses, researchers randomized 56 patients with simple localized cutaneous abscesses to either traditional packing with closure by secondary intention or primary closure with 4–0 monofilament vertical mattress sutures.

Median abscess size was 5 cm²; no abscess involved the anogenital region. All wounds were incised, bluntly dissected, and irrigated with at least 100 mL of saline. Systemic antibiotics were used at the discretion of the treating physician in 31% of the primary and 41% of the secondary closure groups. Patients were assessed in the emergency department at 48 hours and the sutures were removed if there was a concern for abscess reaccumul…