What Size Abscess Should Be Drained?

Skin abscesses >0.4 centimeters (cm) in depth may require a drainage procedure, while those <0.4 cm may be safely treated with antibiotics alone. Additional data is needed to determine an optimal size cut-off for when a drainage procedure is not necessary.

When does an abscess need to be drained?

However, antibiotics alone may not be enough to clear a skin abscess, and the pus may need to be drained to clear the infection. If a skin abscess is not drained, it may continue to grow and fill with pus until it bursts, which can be painful and can cause the infection to spread or come back.

What size is considered a large abscess?

In cases of abscesses of size > 10 cm, usually termed giant abscesses, it has been advised that drainage should be performed with caution because of the high incidence of complications [18, 19].