RT Book, Section
A1 Palivos, Lisa
A1 Gandhi, Sonali
A2 Reichman, Eric F.
SR Print(0)
ID 1159803759
T1 Felon Incision and Drainage
T2 Reichman's Emergency Medicine Procedures, 3e
YR 2018
FD 2018
PB McGraw-Hill Education
PP New York, NY
SN 9781259861925
LK accessemergencymedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1159803759
RD 2024/04/19
AB A  felon  is  a  subcutaneous  infection  or  abscess  in  the  pulp  space  on  the  palmar  aspect  of  the  fingertip  (Figure  133-1).  It  is  usually  caused  by  penetrating  trauma,  an  abrasion,  spread  from  adjacent  tissues  (e.g.,  eponychium,  osteomyelitis,  or  paronychia),  or  a  minor  cut  that  leads  to  the  invasion  of  bacteria.1  A  felon  can  develop  in  the  presence  of  a  foreign  body  (e.g.,  wood  splinter  or  thorn).2  It  can  be  iatrogenic  from  multiple  fingersticks  for  blood  glucose  measurement.3,4  The  offending  organism  is  usually  Staphylococcus  aureus.5  Mixed  infections  and  gram-negative  infections  may  occur  in  the  immunocompromised  patient.  A  felon  can  less  commonly  occur  on  the  toes.  The  information  in  this  chapter  can  be  applied  to  a  felon  of  the  finger  or  the  toe.