Fire Needle Combined Therapy or Surgery Therapy for Carbuncle of Neck? A Case Series

Abstract

Background Skin carbuncle is a suppurative infection of adjacent multiple hair follicles and their surrounding tissues, mostly caused by Staphylococcus aureus . Skin carbuncle often occurs in the neck, the back, and other skin thicker parts. It can also spread to the subcutaneous tissue and cause extensive subcutaneous infection. It is especially common in people with low immunity such as diabetes, nephritis, and malnutrition. Patients and Methods We reported four cases of carbuncle of the neck, three of which were treated with traditional Chinese medicine therapy based on fire needles combined with topical drugs, and the other one was treated by surgical incision and drainage, debridement, and dressing change. Results All four cases achieved good therapeutic effects. The results showed that in the treatment of early carbuncle, compared with surgical treatment, fire needle therapy had less trauma, smaller prognosis scar, less cost, and faster recovery. However, when the carbuncle significantly expands or the deep tissue of the late carbuncle shows erosion necrosis, surgical debridement is necessary. Conclusion The traditional Chinese medicine therapy based on the fire needle for the early treatment of carbuncle has important clinical significance, which is worthy of further study.

Fire Needle Combined Topical Mupirocin for the Treatment of Simple Skin Abscesses in Pediatric Patients: A Case Series

“…was considered beneficial in controlling the further progression of the disease and minimally invasive treatment. 25 In our study, patients 11, 12 and 17 applied fire needle therapy at an early stage and had a shorter basic healing time, demonstrating the effectiveness of fire needle in the early stage of skin abscesses in children as well. Therefore, early application of combined treatment with fire needle combined therapy can prevent further aggravation of the skin abscess and avoid the impact of surgical incision and drainage on the patient's quality of life.…”

“…20,23,24 In recent years, fire needle therapy has also been reported to treat bacterial infectious skin diseases, including perifolliculitis capitis abscedens et suffodiens, carbuncle of neck. 25,26 But there is little evidence from clinical studies on treating skin abscesses with fire needle. Most of the patients in the previous clinical studies on fire needle therapy were adults, and the clinical efficacy of fire needle in the treatment of children with skin abscesses is still unclear.…”

Skin Abscess

“…Zekiye Kanat 1 and Selim Sözen 2 * 1 Faculty of Medicine, Department of Dermatology, Malatya Turgut Özal University, Malatya, Turkey 2 General Surgery, Sözen Surgery Clinic, Tekirdağ, Turkey *Address all correspondence to: selimsozen63@yahoo.com their diabetes, eat well, and receive suitable treatment for any underlying illnesses or immunological deficiencies. Furthermore, by administering mupirocin to the interior nostrils twice daily for 12 to 30 days, staphylococcal decolonization of the nostrils can be accomplished [18][19][20][21].…”

Skin and Soft Tissue Infections: Current Advancement in Epidemiology, Pathogenesis and Management

“…A bunch of boils are called carbuncles. 39 Usually, boils start out as painful, red lumps. Before they burst and discharge, the lumps quickly fill with pus, enlarging and becoming more painful.…”