Abscess Incision and Drainage

Abscess Incision and Drainage at Rivers Hospital

An ‘Abscess incision and drainage’ is an operation performed to drain a collection of pus out of a painful infection, called an abscess. Its purpose is to treat the abscess and relieve pain.

Abscess incision and drainage is a relatively simple procedure that is commonly performed at our first-class facilities by highly experienced general surgeons.

Ramsay Care Health UK is a leading provider of private healthcare in England and has a network of over 35 UK hospitals, all of which are regulated and inspected by the Care Quality Commission.

We offer convenient and local care without waiting.

An abscess is an infection that has produced a collection of pus and it can occur in a variety of sites, especially around the anus.

Often there is an underlying cause such as a skin cyst that has become infected which is caused by a bacterial infection. If it is caught early, enough antibiotics may stop an abscess from developing but once an abscess has appeared, an incision and drainage procedure is required.

Sometimes an abscess will burst by itself and the pus discharge. This may allow the abscess to heal with additional antibiotics however it is not safe to leave an abscess to burst.

An incision and drainage operation is performed to treat an abscess. The skin around the abscess is cleaned with an antiseptic fluid, and then your doctor will make an incision over the abscess to release the pus. A sample of pus is usually taken to analyse the type of bacteria causing the infection.

The pus is evacuated and the cavity remaining is cleaned and washed. Usually the cavity is packed with either gauze soaked in antiseptic or artificial gauze made from seaweed. The packing prevents the abscess recurring and allows any remaining infection to drain out.

An incision and drainage abscess procedure can take between ten to 45 minutes, depending on the size and deepness of your abscess, though occasionally an overnight stay is required.

Once you have been discharged, arrangements will be made for the abscess site to be regularly cleaned and dressed. It may take up to 2 to 6 weeks of regular dressings before the area is healed properly.

If you are paying for your drainage surgery you can choose from a number of finance options we have. These include All-inclusive Total Care where a single one-off payment at a pre-agreed price delivers direct access to all the treatment you need for complete reassurance, pay as you go and, medical finance loans.

Costs are covered by most medical insurance policies. We advise that you check directly with your insurance provider and get written authorisation before you start your treatment.

You should be able to go home the same day or the day after your incision and drainage abscess procedure.

It is important that you follow your doctor’s post-surgery advice about cleaning your wound and changing dressings. If a gauze packing was put in your wound, it should be removed after one to two days.

You may be given antibiotics that you should take as prescribed. If you need pain relief you can take over-the-counter pain relief as required. Your wound will take one to two weeks to seal over and heal.

Your doctor will let you know when you can return to work.

Rivers Hospital Specialists

Mr Ahmed Abidia

Mr Ahmed Abidia is a General Surgeon in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire .
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Mr Rajaraman Durai

Mr Raj Durai is a General Surgeon with a special interest in Colorectal surgery in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire.
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Mr Eriberto Farinella

Mr Eriberto Farinella is a Consultant General Surgeon in Hertfordshire
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Mr Vivek Gupta

Mr Vivek Gupta specialises in general and colorectal surgery including hernia, cholecystectomy, colonoscopy, haemorrhoidectomy, IBS, and bowel cancer.
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Mr Bogdan Ivanov

Mr Bogdan Ivanov is a Consultant General Surgeon in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire
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Mr Jonathan Refson

Mr Jonathan Refson is a General Surgeon in Hertfordshire with a special interest in vascular surgery
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Mr Mrinal Saharay

Mr Mrinal Saharay is a General Surgeon in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire.
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Ms Vardhini Vijay

Ms Vardhini Vijay is a Consultant General Surgeon in Hertfordshire specialising abdominal surgery, cholecystectomies, adhesiolysis, hernias, gastroscopy and colonoscopy.
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Mr Shanmugam Vivekanandan

Mr Shanmugam Vivekanandan is a General Surgeon in Hertfordshire
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