General Question

Spargett's avatar

What's the point of sterilizing a tool when lancing an abscess?

Asked by Spargett (5395points) February 9th, 2008

If something is already infected, oozing pus than what’s the point?

Observing members: 0 Composing members: 0

4 Answers

brownlemur's avatar

You don’t want to introduce new bacteria or otherwise bad stuff into the wound. You already have one kind of infection, do you really want another in the same sore area?

ironhiway's avatar

brownlemur is right, that area is already fighting the problem and pretty taxed out. Add another germ or virus and your congress is going to have to send in more troops with different weapons.

Your more likely to die from an added infection than one you already have. All our bodies have lots of germs and viruses and those are already being dealt with by the body, usually why when we get more stressed out we tend to get sick. Introduce something the body isn’t already fighting and you’ve got a problem.

gooch's avatar

Also pus is dead white blood cells that died fighting infection. Pus is not actually infection but a sign of fighting infection.

artemisdivine's avatar

i knew a cat that had an absess in its mouth on its gum. nastiest thing i ever saw and freaking looked painful. warts are icky too. never had the ability to pop those. actually its dangerous to do so. i am so glad my youth is behind me lol.

Instruments and equipment that are used repeatedly for invasive procedures must be sterilized or disinfected between animals. If, during an invasive procedure, the instrument comes in contact with a lesion, such as a granuloma or an abscess, this instrument should not be used again until it is sterilized. Several sets of instruments should be available in case one set becomes contaminated by a lesion that may harbor infectious agents
http://accstr.ufl.edu/cmttp_health_&_handling.html

Twenty-seven million surgical procedures are performed in the US each year. Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) are the third most common nosocomial infection (14–16%) among hospitalized patients. Among surgical patients, SSIs are the most common nosocomial infection, accounting for 38% of infections.
http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/articles/051feat1.html

Guideline for prevention of surgical site infection
http://www.facs.org/about/committees/cpc/ssiguide0700.pdf

Sickness Vocabulary
Abscess A sac of pus caused by bacterial or. other infection. For example, a boil
Sterilization (1) To sterilize instruments, bottles, and other things by boiling or heating in an oven. (2) Also a permanent way of making a man or woman unable to reproduce (have children).
http://www.hesperian.info/assets/WTND/WTND_Vocabulary.pdf

Sterilize instruments that penetrate tissue and bone
Sterilize whenever possible, all instruments that come into contact with body fluids, mucous membranes or those contaminated with patient secretions. Otherwise use appropriate disinfection.
http://www.doh.gov.za/docs/factsheets/guidelines/norms/part2.pdf

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