Open Drainage versus Percutaneous Drainage in the Treatment of Tropical Pyomyositis. Prospective and Randomized Study.

OBJECTIVE To compare the results from treating tropical pyomyositis through percutaneous drainage of abscesses versus open surgical drainage of abscesses, by means of a randomized prospective study. METHODS Twenty-five patients with tropical pyomyositis (Chiedozi grade II) were included in this study. They were randomized into two groups: group A (n = 13), treated with antibiotics and open drainage of the abscesses; and group B (n = 12), treated with antibiotics and percutaneous drainage of the abscesses. RESULTS The mean age was 35.3 years (± 19.2) in group A and 30.1 years (± 9) in group B (p = 0.41). There were eight female patients (61.5%) and five male patients (38.5%) in group A; in group B, three were female (25%) and nine were male (75%) (p = 0.11). Staphylococcus aureus was the microorganism most frequently found (72%). The mean hospital stay in group A was 12.7 days (± 2.3), and in group B, 10.6 days (± 1.6) (p = 0.01). The mean duration of antibiotic use in group A was 12.2 days (± 2.3), and in group B, 10.1 days (± 1.5) (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION Percutaneous drainage of the abscesses, in association with antibiotic therapy, is an efficient treatment method for tropical pyomyositis grade II, with shorter antibiotic use and hospital stay for patients.