Carbuncle

Carbuncle: symptoms, treatment and prevention

A carbuncle is a purulent-necrotic inflammation of several hair follicles and subcutaneous fatty tissue around them, which is often accompanied by necrosis and skin rejection over a large area. With a carbuncle, a single general inflammatory infiltrate is formed. The etiology and pathogenesis are similar to those of a boil, however, with a carbuncle, necrosis processes predominate.

A carbuncle usually occurs when pyogenic microbes enter the ducts of the sebaceous or sweat glands, as well as when they penetrate the skin through minor lesions. Predisposing factors are diabetes mellitus, cachexia of any origin, and immunosuppression. Lymphangiitis and lymphadenitis almost always accompany carbuncle. Favorite locations are the occipital region and back.

Symptoms of a carbuncle include a large, dense, sharply painful infiltrate with severe hyperemia and cyanosis in the center of the skin, where there are several fistulous openings with purulent discharge and a necrotic bottom. Simultaneously with the development of the local process, signs of general intoxication quickly appear and increase: high fever, chills, and leukocytosis in the blood with a shift to the left.

Treatment of carbuncle is surgical. Under general anesthesia, a wide cruciform or H-shaped dissection of the infiltrate is performed with excision of necrotic tissue. After necrectomy, the wound is loosely tamponed with water-soluble ointments (levosin, levomekol) and kept open until completely cleansed and granulated, after which it is closed in one of the ways (independent secondary healing, secondary sutures or skin grafting). If, despite a sufficient incision, inflammatory changes progress, massive antibiotic therapy is indicated.

The prognosis is usually favorable, but the most dangerous is a carbuncle of the face - the nose and especially the lips, in which the purulent process can spread to the membranes of the brain and the development of purulent meningitis.

To prevent carbuncles, it is necessary to ensure the cleanliness of the skin and clothing, avoid microtraumas, if scratches, abrasions, etc. appear, immediately treat them with disinfectants, avoid self-medication and do not squeeze out blisters and pimples on the skin. It is also important to strengthen the immune system, monitor proper nutrition and skin care. If you have predisposing factors, such as diabetes or immunodeficiency conditions, you should consult a doctor and follow his recommendations for carbuncle prevention.

A carbuncle is a purely cosmetic defect. The causes of the appearance of a carbuncle can be trauma, herpes infection, acne and other skin diseases. The appearance of multiple carbuncles is possible. A carbuncle is an acute purulent inflammation of the tissue, which develops as a result of the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms into it. The carbuncle includes three phases of development of the inflammatory process. The inflammatory process immediately involves the skin and subcutaneous tissue, in some cases additionally subcutaneous fat and muscles. In rare cases, inflammation can spread to nearby and distant anatomical structures, which can lead to the formation of an abscess, phlegmon, or complications that pose a threat to the patient's life.

1. Symptoms

Redness of the skin Swelling of the skin and soft tissues Increase in local skin temperature Pain Sensitivity of the affected area purulent-necrotic core. Carbuncles most often occur on the trunk and limbs. However, they may develop on the face