About Curtis J. Edwards, MD, FACS Expertise Can answer general and vascular surgery questions, trauma, burns, some plastic surgery questions, general gastrointestinal surgery and gastrointestinal medical questions and questions regarding aviation medicine.
Experience Board certified general surgeon. Seventeen years practice experience in general, vascular, and no-cardiac thoracic surgery and endoscopy.
Organizations College of Surgeons, AMA, Aerospace Medical Assoc., Civil Aviation Medical Assoc.
Education/Credentials BA, MD, American Board of Surgery, Fellow American College of Surgeons, seventeen years practice all phases, including teaching.
Expert: Curtis J. Edwards, MD, FACS Date: 3/7/2008 Subject: Post operative abscess
Question Dear Dr Edwards,
My cousin recently had a spinal operation and was soon taken back into
Hospital because he was suffering a lot of pain and running a high fever. His
doctor mentioned that he has an abscess. How do these occur and what is
the normal treatment for them?
Many thanks for your time.
Answer I have not examined you or the patient in question, reviewed the medical record, associated laboratory studies, or imaging. What follows is offered to you for information purposes, only and does not constitute treatment. I advise an examination from a qualified healthcare professional before undertaking any course of treatment.
A post-operative abscess occurs when infection sets in beneath the skin of the surgical incision. The most common contaminant is Staphylococcus aureus from the patient's own skin. Treatment is drainage, removal of any foreign material like plates, screws or graft material, and antibiotics with dressing changes to the open wound, allowing it to heal by secondary intention (from bottom up).
Sometimes a wound can not be left open and a flap of skin and muscle are rotated over the area and it is closed over a drain that exits through a tube to a small reservoir. Either way the wound needs to be cleaned out. I hope this helps.
