Unfortunately, most primary care physicians do not have an operating head on their otoscope, much less an operating microscope and a suction, so most are not equipped to thoroughly debride an ear.

At the appointment my brother began the consultation by telling the vascular resident that 'My little sister Geddi reckons you'll probably put me in hospital and that you'll need to debride it and that you'll probably give me some antibiotics and that you'll x-ray the bones behind it and maybe even do an MRI or something--oh yeah, and that you might do some swabs or biopsies'.

absorbs drainage, treats infection, protects surrounding skin, debrides eschar, etc.