ICD-10 Specific code L02: Cutaneous abscess, furuncle and carbuncle

Chlorhexidine is an antimicrobial agent, active against a broad spectrum of Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms, yeasts, fungi, opportunistic anaerobes and aerobes. Chlorhexidine is mainly a “membrane-acting” agent that destroys the outer membrane of the bacteria. It is inactive on bacterial spores unless the temperatures are high.

Etofenamate is a flufenamic acid derivative, which is readily transported through the skin and concentrated in inflamed tissue, where it exerts anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects by inhibiting the release of histamine, lysosomal enzymes and prostaglandin.

Gentamicin is usually bactericidal in action. Although the exact mechanism of action has not been fully elucidated, the drug appears to inhibit protein synthesis in susceptible bacteria by irreversibly binding to 30S ribosomal subunits.

Minocycline is a semi-synthetic derivative of tetracycline. Minocycline inhibits protein synthesis in susceptible bacteria. In common with other tetracyclines it is primarily bacteriostatic and has a similar spectrum of activity to other tetracyclines.

Piperacillin is a broad-spectrum, semisynthetic penicillin. Piperacillin exerts bactericidal activity by inhibition of both septum and cell-wall synthesis.

Sultamicillin is the tosylate salt of the double ester of sulbactam plus ampicillin. Sulbactam is a semisynthetic beta-lactamase inhibitor which, in combination with ampicillin, extends the antibacterial activity of the latter to include some beta-lactamase-producing strains of bacteria that would otherwise be resistant.

Ticarcillin disrupts bacterial cell wall development by inhibiting peptidoglycan synthesis and/or by interacting with penicillin-binding proteins.