SP 11.03 A Retrospective Single-Centre Analysis of Pre-Hospital Antibiotic Prescriptions Among Simple Cutaneous Abscesses
Jameel Seidel, Sakshi Das Gupta, Sailesh PartheebanAbstract
Aims
Simple cutaneous abscesses commonly present to the general surgical take. Anecdotally patients presented following multiple courses of antibiotics, thus prolonging morbidity. We sought to quantify this. The World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) guidelines recommend incision and drainage as a first-line treatment for simple cutaneous abscesses without high-risk features (e.g. diabetes, immunocompromise or systemic symptoms).
Methods
To assess guideline compliance, all patients with simple cutaneous abscesses treated at a single centre between (January 2025 to October 2025) were evaluated (n = 68). Electronic patient records were analysed to establish whether (i) antibiotics were appropriately prescribed, (ii) those receiving unindicated antibiotics reported prolonged pain, and (iii) high-risk patients were prioritised for theatre.
Results
27 of 68 included patients met the WSES guidelines for antibiotics. 30% of this group (8 patients) did not receive antibiotics prior to referral. Where antibiotics were not indicated (41 patients), 25 (61%) still received antibiotics. This group reported prolonged time in pain compared to the low-risk patients who did not receive antibiotics, although was statistically insignificant (15 days vs. 12 days; p=0.195). Reassuringly, high-risk patients were prioritised for theatre (12 hours vs. 26 hours; p=0.28).
Conclusions
Local antibiotic prescriptions do not align with WSES guidelines. A high proportion of patients inappropriately received antibiotics. Furthermore, 30% of high-risk patients did not receive antibiotics; this is being addressed with educational posters for community practitioners. A larger prospective analysis is needed to show significant differences between groups.