Mayo stand and back table instruments for Perianal Abscess surgery setupClamping & Occluding
Cutting & Dissecting
Grasping & Holding
Suctioning
Suturing & Stapling
What to expect during Perianal Abscess
I don’t like to use a mayo stand while setting these surgeries up, but feel free to use whatever you are comfortable with!
The patient will be positioned in either lithotomy, or prone, and they may only be sedated, but will more than likely be asleep.
The doctor will start out by making an incision with a 15 blade either on top of, or around the abscess. Then they will take a hemostat and feed it through the abscess. They may need to use a pair of metzenbaums depending on how deep the abscess is.
The abscess will have been leaking out at this point, so you want to make sure you have culture swabs open, or at least very close by, so that cultures can be taken of the ruptured abscess. You will need to have raytecs or laps readily available because depending on the size of the abscess, you will go through several of them.
Once the area has been drained, it will be irrigated, and they will either suture it closed, or put a drain in. If they use a drain, it will probably be a penrose drain that they cut and suture in.
Dressings aren’t used often on these incisions, but the doctor may want an ABD pad on it site with a pair of mesh panties.
Ugh this sounds like it would be so gross! Do they really smell?!
Haha, they for sure can smell! My favorite tip is to put a little bit of Mastisol or some sort of essential oil on the outside of your mask. It helps cover up the smell. A lovely part of the job!