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The appropriate treatment for uncomplicated cutaneous abscesses is incision and drainage. Thus far, studies have not shown any additional benefit from the administration of antibiotics. However, these studies may have been underpowered to detect the benefit of antibiotics, given that cure rates after drainage alone are high.
These investigators performed a double-blinded, randomized, controlled trial of trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX; 320 mg/1600 mg, twice a day for 7 days) versus placebo in 1247 patients with uncomplicated abscesses that were detected by physical or ultrasonographic examination and were incised and drained. The primary outcome was clinical cure of the abscess, evaluated 1 to 2 weeks after the weeklong treatment cour…