title: Surgical treatment of tinea capitis in childhood.
abstract: Fungal infections of the scalp can cause kerion, pus-filled swellings, that may look like bacterial abscesses. We report on two children who underwent incision and drainage of their kerions under local and general anesthesia. This treatment was inappropriate: it carried the risk associated with general anesthesia and surgery without providing the therapeutic chance linked to adequate antimicrobial chemotherapy. We recommend that children who are present at emergency departments with pus-filled swellings on the scalp should be referred to a dermatology unit where appropriate clinical and laboratory investigations and antifungal treatment can be provided, if considered adequate.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Dermatologie und Allergologie, Klinikum der Universität München, Frauenlobstrasse 8-11, D-80337 Münich, Germany.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thoma-Greber
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zenker
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Röcken
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wolff
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Korting
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess; D002648:Child; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012535:Scalp / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014006:Tinea Capitis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery*; D014249:Trichophyton / Q000302:isolation & purification*