Irrigation drainage with intracatheter in severe infections of the hand.

Severe infections of the hand and fingers still challenge the surgeon's skill in spite of modern antibiotics. Very often patients are referred too late, with inadequate incisions and insufficient drainage. In addition, wound edges tend to seal up rapidly, even if no sutures are inserted. In the management of such infections we have successfully introduced an irrigation drainage system, using a common intracather (I-Cath). The method described here is simple, atraumatic and shortens the time of treatment.