Comparative efficacy of minimally invasive lavage with negative pressure sealing drainage versus traditional incision and drainage combined with ornidazole for oral and maxillofacial space infections: a retrospective study

To compare the efficacy between minimally invasive lavage with negative pressure sealing drainage and traditional incision and drainage (both in combination with ornidazole) on pain relief, reduction of serum inflammatory factors, and wound healing in patients with oral and maxillofacial space infection. This retrospective cohort study included 130 patients with OMSI. Patients were assigned to the Conventional Group (ornidazole with traditional incision and drainage, n = 59) or the Research Group (ornidazole with minimally invasive lavage and negative pressure sealing drainage, n = 71). Baseline infection severity was assessed using the Odontogenic Infection Severity Score (OISS). Outcomes included wound healing time, granulation growth time, length of hospital stay, clinical efficacy, postoperative pain (VAS), serum inflammatory markers (WBC, NEUT, PCT, IL−6, TNF-α), and postoperative infection rates. Statistical analyses incorporated False Discovery Rate (FDR) correction for multiple comparisons. The Research Group demonstrated significantly shorter wound healing time, granulation growth time, and hospital stay compared to the Conventional Group (all PFDR < 0.001). The Research Group also showed significantly greater improvement in clinical symptoms, including a larger reduction in abscess diameter and a greater increase in mouth opening (PFDR < 0.001), as well as significantly lower VAS scores at 1 and 5 days postoperatively (PFDR < 0.001). At 1 day post-surgery, the Research Group had significantly lower levels of all serum inflammatory markers (PFDR < 0.001), with large effect sizes. The overall incidence of postoperative infection was significantly lower in the Research Group (2.82%) than in the Conventional Group (11.86%) (P = 0.043). Ornidazole combined with minimally invasive lavage and negative pressure sealing drainage can effectively shorten the wound healing time of OMSI patients, improve clinical symptoms, relieve inflammatory response and pain, and has high safety.