Study of technique, advantages and effectiveness of percutaneous drainage of intra-abdominal abscesses

Background: Intra-abdominal abscess remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the patient population. Despite therapeutic advances, it is a perplexing diagnostic and management challenges and remains a dreaded complication of surgery. Materials and methods: Forty eight patients underwent fifty one percutaneous drainage procedures in the Barnard Institute of Radiology at the General Hospital, Chennai. There were 44 men and 7 women. The youngest of the patients was 13 years old and the oldest 56 years old. Results: Of the 51 drainage, 35 were done under CT guidance and 16 under US guidance. Successful drainage of the collection with avoidance of operation was achieved in 43 of the 48 abscesses (89.5%). If the total number of drainages were considered, the success rate was 84.3% (43 out of 51). Conclusion: Percutaneous catheter drainage is an important treatment option for management of intra-abdominal abscesses. It is especially valuable in patients at high risk for general anesthesia. It is also an effective alternative to operative drainage in other healthier patients. Computed tomography is the imaging modality of choice for percutaneous abscess drainage.