Knowra Abscess Abscess An abscess is a localized collection of pus within tissue, usually caused by infection and surrounded by inflamed tissue. Its cavity forms as immune defenses contain the infection.
Neutrophil : A white blood cell that rapidly enters infected tissue and kills microbes, often by engulfing them or releasing antimicrobial substances. Neutrophils accumulate in the cavity and contribute to the pus that defines an abscess.
Incision and drainage : A procedure that opens a collection of pus and allows it to drain. Many accessible abscesses require physical drainage because antibiotics alone may not clear the cavity.
Cellulitis : A spreading bacterial infection of the skin and underlying soft tissue without a discrete pus-filled cavity. Cellulitis causes diffuse redness and swelling, while an abscess forms a focal collection.
Fistula : An abnormal passage connecting two body surfaces or an internal organ to another structure. A persistent abscess may erode into nearby tissue and leave an abnormal drainage tract.
Pus : A thick fluid made chiefly of dead white blood cells, microbes, and damaged tissue, commonly produced during infection. This material fills the abscess cavity as immune cells and tissue break down.
Antibiotic : A substance that kills bacteria or inhibits their growth. Antibiotics may accompany drainage when infection is extensive, systemic, or in a high-risk location.
Cyst : A closed sac-like structure containing fluid, air, or other material, often lined by tissue. A cyst can resemble an abscess but is not necessarily caused by infection or filled with pus.
Osteomyelitis : An infection of bone, usually caused by bacteria or fungi. An adjacent abscess can extend into bone, while bone infection can also seed nearby soft tissue.
Pyogenic bacteria : Bacteria that provoke pus formation, including species such as Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes. These organisms commonly trigger the intense local inflammation that forms an abscess.
Ultrasonography : An imaging method that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of structures inside the body. Ultrasound can distinguish a fluid-filled abscess from surrounding inflamed tissue.
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