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CompletedNCT02822768Updated Sep 28, 2026

Packing Versus no Packing for Cutaneous Abscess

An interventional study of Packing and No packing in Cutaneous Abscess, sponsored by University of California, San Francisco. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-28.

Sponsored by University of California, San Francisco · Not applicable, Interventional, and Diagnostic

Updated Sep 28, 2026Now CompletedEnrollment updatedGo to Updates ↓
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
172
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The goal of this study is to examine patients undergoing incision and drainage of cutaneous abscesses to determine if routine packing of the abscess cavity affects the need for further interventions such as repeat incision and drainage, antibiotic administration or hospital admission.

Read the detailed description

Study protocol:

  1. Identification of a patient with a cutaneous abscess requiring incision and drainage
  2. Written consent obtained from the patient

  3. Study materials will be obtained

    • Enrolling physician fills out pre-procedure information (see data sheet)

    • Enrollment data sheet has instructions indicating whether patient is to receive packing or not

      • Use of random number generator to randomize all packets
    • Provider does abscess incision and drainage with or without packing according to the instructions
    • Enrolling physician fills out post-procedure information (see data sheet)
    • Patient returns within 48 hours for wound check with removal of packing if performed

    • Research coordinator or study physician calls the patient within 14 and 30 days after the procedure for follow-up

      • Information from a return visit and/or the telephone follow-up
02

Conditions studied

  • Cutaneous Abscess
03

In context

Lead sponsor

University of California, San Francisco is the lead sponsor of 2,132 studies on the registry; 375 are open to participants now.

Of its 262 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 196 (75%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  1. All patients 18 years of age and above
  2. Patients that require a cutaneous abscess incision and drainage
  3. English-speaking subjects only

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Unable to return for 48-hour follow-up.
  2. Patients being admitted to the hospital or going to the operating room for incision and drainage
  3. Pregnant patients
  4. Patients less than 18 years of age
  5. Prisoners or persons in police custody
  6. Patients with infected bursa
  7. Non-English speaking subjects
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Diagnostic
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Enrollment
172 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Packing

    The patient is to have a long piece of gauze within the abscess cavity in an attempt to keep it open and allow purulent material to continue to drain after the initial incision and release of purulent material has been performed.

    Procedure: Packing

  • Placebo comparator
    No packing

    The patient is not to have packing of the abscess as part of the incision and drainage procedure

    Other: No packing

Interventions

  • ProcedurePacking

    The patient will receive packing as part of their wound care

  • OtherNo packing

    The patient will not receive packing as part of their wound care

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Percentage of patients needing further treatment

    follow-up call to determine if patient required further treatment beyond routine care

    Time frame: 14 days

Secondary outcomes

  1. Visual Analog Scale for Pain (VAS pain) post procedure

    Measure pain score after procedure

    Time frame: 14 days

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Community Regional Medical Center
    Fresno, California 93701, United States
08

References and documents

Publications

  • O'Malley GF, Dominici P, Giraldo P, Aguilera E, Verma M, Lares C, Burger P, Williams E. Routine packing of simple cutaneous abscesses is painful and probably unnecessary. Acad Emerg Med. 2009 May;16(5):470-3. doi: 10.1111/j.1553-2712.2009.00409.x. Epub 2009 Apr 10. PubMed 19388915 ↗
  • Abraham N, Doudle M, Carson P. Open versus closed surgical treatment of abscesses: a controlled clinical trial. Aust N Z J Surg. 1997 Apr;67(4):173-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1445-2197.1997.tb01934.x. PubMed 9137156 ↗
  • Stewart MP, Laing MR, Krukowski ZH. Treatment of acute abscesses by incision, curettage and primary suture without antibiotics: a controlled clinical trial. Br J Surg. 1985 Jan;72(1):66-7. doi: 10.1002/bjs.1800720125. PubMed 3881155 ↗
  • Barnes SM, Milsom PL. Abscesses: an open and shut case! Arch Emerg Med. 1988 Dec;5(4):200-5. doi: 10.1136/emj.5.4.200. PubMed 3069102 ↗
  • Simms MH, Curran F, Johnson RA, Oates J, Givel JC, Chabloz R, ALexander-Williams J. Treatment of acute abscesses in the casualty department. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). 1982 Jun 19;284(6332):1827-9. doi: 10.1136/bmj.284.6332.1827. PubMed 6805714 ↗
  • Sorensen C, Hjortrup A, Moesgaard F, Lykkegaard-Nielsen M. Linear incision and curettage vs. deroofing and drainage in subcutaneous abscess. A randomized clinical trial. Acta Chir Scand. 1987 Nov-Dec;153(11-12):659-60. PubMed 3324596 ↗
  • Tonkin DM, Murphy E, Brooke-Smith M, Hollington P, Rieger N, Hockley S, Richardson N, Wattchow DA. Perianal abscess: a pilot study comparing packing with nonpacking of the abscess cavity. Dis Colon Rectum. 2004 Sep;47(9):1510-4. doi: 10.1007/s10350-004-0620-1. Epub 2004 Jul 8. PubMed 15486749 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Updates

1 registry update since Sep 25, 2026
Status
Recruiting→Completed
changed Sep 28, 2026
Enrollment
196 (estimated)→172 (actual)
Sep 28, 2026
Show all 1 update
  1. Sep 28, 2026
    Recruiting→Completed
    Enrollment 196 (estimated)→172 (actual)
    + 5 other changes: verification date, date precision, design details, contact details and site details

From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT02822768
Lead sponsor
University of California, San Francisco
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jul 4, 2016
Start date
Aug 2016
Primary completion
Apr 2026
Completion
Apr 2026
Last update
Sep 28, 2026

Study contacts

Michael Darracq, MD, MPH
principal investigator · UCSF - Fresno

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Sep 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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