Superficial soft-tissue infections – furuncle, carbuncle, suppurative hydradenitis. Tetanus and gas gangrene – signs, treatment, and vaccination

1. Big picture

This topic is really two surgical infection problems in one:

1. Common superficial purulent infections Furuncle, carbuncle, and suppurative hidradenitis are usually localized skin/subcutaneous infections. The surgical rule is: pus must be drained — antibiotics alone do not empty an abscess.

2. Life-threatening clostridial infections Tetanus is a toxin-mediated neuromuscular emergency. Gas gangrene / clostridial myonecrosis is a rapidly fatal necrotizing soft-tissue infection requiring immediate surgery + intensive care + antibiotics.

The examiner usually wants you to know: **recognize pus → drain it; recognize necrotizing infe