Conservative Management of Cutaneous Abscess

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Trial end date: 2024-08-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

This is a single center non-blinded randomized trial of topical anesthetic cream to usual care (warm compresses and time) for superficial, non-perianal abscesses in children under 18 years of age. The primary outcome is time to spontaneous drainage. The secondary outcomes are return to emergency room/hospital/care provider and need for incision and drainage. Information on patient experience using standardized patient reported outcome measures for health-related quality of life will also be gathered. The findings of this study will provide more robust evidence of the benefit of this treatment including a potential reduction in cost and allow for more widespread dissemination.

• Phase: Phase 4
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Rush University Medical Center
• Treatments: Lidocaine

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• <18 years of age

• Single, localized soft tissue abscess <3 cm in size by clinical or imaging criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

• Signs of systemic illness/infection including but not limited to temperature > 100.4, lethargy, or poor oral intake;

• A decision by an attending physician that incision and drainage is necessary;

• Inpatient admission; immunocompromised patients; soft tissue abscesses involving the perineum (labia, scrotum, penis, perianal), hands/feet, or face;

• Previous antibiotic use in the past seven days or previous attempt by a clinician/provider at drainage;

• Current drainage from abscess.

• Lidocaine allergy