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Is there a way we can eliminate the bacteria in an abscess without the need of a catheter drain? |
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The Problem |
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Abscesses are walled-off collections of fluid and bacteria within the body. They are common complications of surgery, trauma, and systemic infections. Typical treatment is the surgical placement of a drainage catheter to drain the abscess fluid over several days. Dr. Keith Chan and researchers at APL-UW's Center for Industrial + Medical Ultrasound are exploring how to treat abscesses non-invasively, that is, from outside the body, with high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). This experimental therapy could reduce pain, radiation exposure, antibiotic use, and costs for patients with abscesses. Therapeutic ultrasound could also treat abscesses too small or inaccessible for conventional drainage. |
E. coli suspensions after (left) and before (right) treatment. |
Untreated and HIFU treated whole human pus stained to reveal alive and dead bacteria. In the untreated samples, the green stain shows viable bacteria and leukocytes. In the treated sample, the HIFU appears to have killed the leukocytes and reduced them to lytic debris, and killed the bacterials cells while leaving the population relatively intact. Scale bar = 20 micometers. |
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Potential Benefits |
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Patients Non-invasive therapy Ability to treat small abscesses Less procedural pain No drainage catheter management Lower risk of infection Eliminates imaging radiation |
Physicians Minimize risk of injury and complications No drainage catheter management Treatment for septate or loculated abscesses Reduce treatment time Treatment for abscesses too viscous for drainage Minimal additional training |
Insurance Providers Shorten hospitalization Outpatient treatment Reduced specialist effort No surgical disposables No operating room or CT imaging time |
