Safety and Tolerability Study of Antimicrobial TheraGauze for Skin Abscess

The goal of this study is to demonstrate safety and tolerability of a novel antimicrobial wound dressing, Antimicrobial TheraGauze. The unique microvillous structure of TheraGauze is ideal for the development of an antimicrobial wound dressing. In vitro testing has demonstrated that tobramycin is an ideal compound for integration into TheraGauze providing excellent killing of MRSA and other organisms that commonly cause wound infections. Tobramycin is a non-absorbable aminoglycoside that will be contained solely to the wound bed preventing any potential for systemic toxicities. In vivo testing of tobramycin-impregnated TheraGauze used in mouse wound models has confirmed no systemic absorption of tobramycin as demonstrated by undetectable blood levels. TheraGauze has been commercially available for 10 years as a wound dressing. Tobramycin has been available for many years as a topical antibiotic as eyedrops and as an inhaled antibiotic for patients with cystic fibrosis, demonstrating excellent safety in both cases. This Phase I trial will test Antimicrobial TheraGauze (ATG) as an antimicrobial wound packing for patients presenting to an Emergency Department with skin abscess (furunculosis). Subjects will either receive ATG or standard of care wound packing (cotton wick or iodoform wick). Subjects will return to the ED in 2 days for wound packing removal and reassessment of their wounds and symptomatology. A final followup will be performed by a physician and study coordinator in an outpatient setting on day 7.