PMID: 8607582Mar 1, 1996Paper

Nonoperative management for intra-abdominal abscesses

The American Surgeon
F W ShulerG W Lucas

Abstract

Percutaneous drainage of an intra-abdominal abscess is utilized frequently. To evaluate its effectiveness at our institution over 16 months, 18 patients (mean age 49 years) who underwent radiologically directed percutaneous drainage of intra-abdominal abscesses were retrospectively reviewed. The abscesses were postoperative in 14 patients (laparotomy, 5; appendectomy, 4; colectomy, 3; hysterectomy, 2). Primary abscesses were due to diverticular disease (3), perforated appendicitis (3), perforated colon carcinoma (1), and perforated peptic ulcer (1). Percutaneous drainage was ultimately established in all patients with complete resolution of the abscesses occurring in 12 patients (67%). The average duration for drainage was 5.5 days (range 1-23). Average length of hospital stay after the establishment of drainage was 14.6 days (range 1-48). Six patients required surgical procedures because of inadequate abscess drainage (4) or continued clinical deterioration (2). There were no deaths. A major complication (colon perforation, enteric fistula) occurred in two patients (11%). Catheter-related problems were common (7/18 patients), and included drain migration (3), inadequate drainage, and catheter obstruction(2). Four patients requ...Continue Reading

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