Gaszynski R, Punch G, Verschuer K Loop and drain technique for subcutaneous abscess: a safe minimally invasive procedure in an adult population. ANZ J Surg. 2016 Sep 12. doi: 10.1111/ans.13709. [Epub ahead of print]
Ladd AP, Levy MS, Quilty J Minimally invasive technique in treatment of complex, subcutaneous abscesses in children. J Pediatr Surg. 2010 Jul;45(7):1562-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2010.03.025.
Pallin DJ, Egan DJ, Pelletier AJ, Espinola JA, Hooper DC, Camargo CA Jr Increased US emergency department visits for skin and soft tissue infections, and changes in antibiotic choices, during the emergence of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Ann Emerg Med. 2008 Mar;51(3):291-8. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2007.12.004. Epub 2008 Jan 28.
Qualls ML, Mooney MM, Camargo CA Jr, Zucconi T, Hooper DC, Pallin DJ Emergency department visit rates for abscess versus other skin infections during the emergence of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, 1997-2007. Clin Infect Dis. 2012 Jul;55(1):103-5. doi: 10.1093/cid/cis342. Epub 2012 Mar 28.
Singer AJ, Talan DA Management of skin abscesses in the era of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. N Engl J Med. 2014 Mar 13;370(11):1039-47. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra1212788. Review.
Tsoraides SS, Pearl RH, Stanfill AB, Wallace LJ, Vegunta RK Incision and loop drainage: a minimally invasive technique for subcutaneous abscess management in children. J Pediatr Surg. 2010 Mar;45(3):606-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2009.06.013.
Interventional studies are often prospective and are specifically tailored to evaluate direct impacts of treatment or preventive measures on disease.
Observational studies are often retrospective and are used to assess potential causation in exposure-outcome relationships and therefore influence preventive methods.
Expanded access is a means by which manufacturers make investigational new drugs available, under certain circumstances, to treat a patient(s) with a serious disease or condition who cannot participate in a controlled clinical trial.
Clinical trials are conducted in a series of steps, called phases - each phase is designed to answer a separate research question.
Phase 1: Researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects.
Phase 2: The drug or treatment is given to a larger group of people to see if it is effective and to further evaluate its safety.
Phase 3: The drug or treatment is given to large groups of people to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the drug or treatment to be used safely.
Phase 4: Studies are done after the drug or treatment has been marketed to gather information on the drug's effect in various populations and any side effects associated with long-term use.
