Percutaneous drainage procedures in abdominal abscesses under imaging guidance

Full text: The aim of this presentation is to evaluate the therapeutic effect of percutaneous drainage of abdominal abscesses - liver, intraperitoneal and extraperitoneal, and to demonstrate different drainage techniques. 46 patients (21 male and 25 female, aged 28 - 83 yrs, average age 61 yrs) suffering from abdominal abscesses (27 in the liver, 8 intraperitoneal, 11 retroperitoneal). All of them underwent percutaneous drainage in our department in 3-years period 05.2003 - 05.2006. The procedures were made under imaging guidance - CT in cases or US in cases). Catheters pig-tail type were used - 7, 8 or 12 Fr of COOK and Balton. Seldinger and trocar techniques were applied. We present the effectiveness of the manipulations, the length of catheterization periods, kind of isolated bacterial flora, necessity of repeated drainage or open surgical treatment as well as the therapeutic end result for the patient and complications. Percutaneous drainages are effective method of treatment of abdominal abscesses and are alternative of surgical intervention. A percutaneous drainage must be the first therapeutic step in abdominal abscesses, because even in cases where it is not completely curative the prognosis of a later surgery is improved