Background Perianal abscess management varies between the French and Anglo-Saxon schools, with the former advocating immediate fistula treatment to prevent recurrence, while the latter suggests simple incision due to a purported low recurrence rate. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes and predictive factors associated with perianal abscess management in our department.
Methods In 2019, 109 patients presenting with a first perianal abscess were included in the study, excluding those with specific criteria. Treatment involved incision under local anesthesia, possibly combined with antibiotic therapy using amoxicillin/clavulanic acid for five days. Patients with obvious signs of fistula were scheduled for immediate surgery. The primary objective was to assess the rate of patients requiring surgical management of fistula and/or experiencing abscess recurrence, with secondary objectives including the identification of predictive factors.
Results Among the 336 patients who consulted for an abscess, 109 were included, with a mean age of 43 years and 74% being men. Of these, 55 underwent incision alone, while 54 had anal fistula surgery after incision. The mean follow-up for patients with incision alone was approximately 30 months, during which 18% experienced abscess recurrence. Univariate logistic regression analysis revealed smoking and absence of antibiotic therapy post-incision as predictive of recurrence. Gender, age, BMI, diabetes, Crohn's disease, HIV infection, prior NSAID use, and abscess location were not predictive. Multivariate analysis was not conducted due to insufficient data.
Conclusions This study demonstrates that 41% of patients who underwent incision for a first perianal abscess did not experience recurrence during the follow-up period. Additionally, the administration of antibiotic therapy post-incision was associated with a reduced likelihood of recurrence. However, randomized trials are warranted to validate these findings and specify the optimal antibiotic regimen.