ArticleCureus2026
Clinical Application of Minimally Invasive Punch and Drainage in the Treatment of Refractory Non-purulent Skin and Soft Tissue Infections: A Case Series.
Article in Cureus, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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2 authors.
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Abstract
Non-purulent skin and soft tissue infections (NP-SSTIs) are commonly managed with antibiotic therapy; however, a subset of patients demonstrate inadequate clinical response and develop refractory disease. At present, no standardized minimally invasive procedural intervention exists for the management of refractory NP-SSTIs, and treatment options are particularly limited in elderly patients with multiple comorbidities. We report four cases evaluating a minimally invasive punch and drainage approach in elderly patients with persistent NP-SSTIs that failed to improve despite appropriate antibiotic therapy. These individuals had a mean age of 86.8 years (range, 75-99 years) and presented with ongoing local inflammation, pain, and systemic inflammatory responses accompanied by elevated inflammatory markers. Following unsuccessful antibiotic treatment, all patients underwent a minimally invasive punch and drainage procedure, in which circular punch incisions were created to facilitate drainage of inflammatory material and promote local infection control. Standard postoperative wound care and follow-up were provided. Clinical improvement and effective infection control were observed in all cases without significant perioperative or postoperative complications. Patients were discharged between 7 and 42 days after the procedure. The mean C-reactive protein level decreased from 134.52 mg/L preoperatively to 41.02 mg/L two weeks postoperatively. Three patients achieved complete recovery within approximately two months with continued wound care and outpatient follow-up. One patient demonstrated clinical improvement but later died due to underlying health conditions unrelated to the procedure. These cases demonstrate that minimally invasive punch and drainage can serve as a safe and effective adjunctive treatment for refractory NP-SSTIs and may represent a practical therapeutic option for patients who respond poorly to antibiotic therapy alone.
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