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A Comparison of Techniques for Treating Skin Abscesses
NCT01897675 · View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Study Summary
Management of abscesses traditionally involves incision and drainage (I\&D). Abscesses are frequently are "packed" or stented open with the presence of a wick, and traditional care requires re-visits every 2-3 days to have the packing removed and replaced, until finally the abscess cavity has closed, usually 1-2 weeks after initial presentation. Recently there have been attempts to employ less invasive techniques for abscess management. One novel technique, "loop drainage", has been reported in case reports/case series for management of a variety of types of abscesses in the surgical subspecialty literature. We propose to conduct a randomized prospective study comparing the efficacy of the loop drainage technique with the traditional incision and drainage technique of abscess management. Patients presenting to the main or urgent care areas of the Emergency Department at Boston Medical Center for treatment of an abscess will be considered for enrollment as potential subjects. After the treating clinician identifies the patient as an appropriate subject, a Research Associate (RA) will approach the patient and obtain written informed consent to enroll in the study. The subject will then be randomized to the management arm of either loop drainage or traditional I\&D. The clinician will fill out a data sheet describing the abscess characteristics, and then perform either loop drainage or incision and drainage, depending on randomization and the subject will fill out a satisfaction survey. Fourteen days after initial visit, subjects will return for follow-up. The subject will fill out a satisfaction survey, and a study investigator blinded to the treatment group will assess the subject for abscess resolution, cosmetic outcome, number of follow-up visits, and complications. The study investigators will then compare outcomes between the two study groups.
Conditions Studied
Interventions
- PROCEDURE Incision and Drainage with packing (wick) placement
- PROCEDURE Abscess drainage with loop placement
Study Locations (1)
Massachusetts
- Boston University Medical Center — Boston
Trial Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Enrollment Target | 233 participants |
| Start Date | 2013-08 |
| Est. Completion | 2017-03-09 |
| Phase | NA |
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Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗What the Registry Record Tells You About NCT01897675
The ClinicalTrials.gov registry entry for NCT01897675 describes a study currently listed as completed. It is categorized as NA, which is the standard way researchers label where a study sits along the investigational pathway from early safety work through later efficacy and post-marketing evaluation. The registered enrollment target is 233 participants, a figure that helps gauge the scale of data the investigators plan to collect. The listed sponsor is Boston Medical Center, which has 192 total studies on file at ClinicalTrials.gov, and sponsors are the parties responsible for study design, oversight, and regulatory filings.
The record links to 1 condition, with Cutaneous Abscess appearing as the primary indexed condition, and to 2 interventions — of which Incision and Drainage with packing (wick) placement is the first listed. Interventions can include drugs, devices, procedures, behavioral programs, or observational arms, and each is tracked as a separate registry field so that downstream queries can filter accurately. When a trial lists multiple interventions, it usually reflects a multi-arm design or a comparison protocol rather than a single treatment being tested in isolation. The brief summary published in the registry is the clearest source of protocol intent and should be read before drawing conclusions from any sidebar tags.
Geographic footprint matters for practical reasons: NCT01897675 reports 1 study location spanning 1 distinct geographic area — top geographies include Massachusetts. A larger site network tends to correlate with broader recruitment capacity, but it does not imply anything about study quality, and site-level enrollment status can diverge from the overall registry status shown above. Every data point on this page comes from the public ClinicalTrials.gov dataset and is reproduced here for reference only; it is not a medical recommendation, an endorsement of the sponsor, or an invitation to enroll. Verify current status, eligibility criteria, and contact details directly at ClinicalTrials.gov, and discuss any participation decision with your own healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is clinical trial NCT01897675 about?
NCT01897675 is a clinical study titled "A Comparison of Techniques for Treating Skin Abscesses". Management of abscesses traditionally involves incision and drainage (I\&D). Abscesses are frequently are "packed" or stented open with the presence of a wick, and traditional care requires re-visits every 2-3 days to have the packing removed and replaced, until finally the abscess cavity has closed...
What is the current status of trial NCT01897675?
This trial is currently completed. It is a NA study. The enrollment target is 233 participants. The study started on 2013-08. Estimated completion is 2017-03-09.
What conditions does trial NCT01897675 study?
This clinical trial studies the following conditions: Cutaneous Abscess. These conditions were identified from the trial registry and reflect the primary focus areas of the research.
What interventions are being tested in trial NCT01897675?
The interventions under investigation include: Incision and Drainage with packing (wick) placement (PROCEDURE), Abscess drainage with loop placement (PROCEDURE). Each intervention is being evaluated for safety and efficacy as part of this clinical study.
Who is sponsoring clinical trial NCT01897675?
This trial is sponsored by Boston Medical Center, which has 192 total clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The sponsor is responsible for the study's design, funding, and regulatory compliance.
Where is trial NCT01897675 being conducted?
This trial has 1 study location across Massachusetts. Contact the study sites directly through ClinicalTrials.gov for enrollment availability.
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