title: Percutaneous drainage of intra-abdominal abscesses following abdominal trauma.
abstract: Between January 1, 1984, and June 30, 1987, we performed percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) of 28 intra-abdominal abscesses in 21 postoperative trauma patients. During this period only three patients had abdominal re-exploration for drainage of abdominal abscess. The PCD patients were predominantly young men who had sustained penetrating abdominal injuries (81% GSW or SW; 19% MVA). Seventeen (81%) patients had multiple abdominal organ injuries with the colon being the most frequently injured (57%). Multiple abscesses were identified in 33% of the patients. All 21 patients had successful treatment of their abscesses by PCD alone. There was one complication (4.8%) from PCD (pneumothorax) and no deaths in this group. Our data suggest that in most cases, PCD can be safe, effective, and definitive treatment for postoperative intra-abdominal abscesses following abdominal trauma. We recommend PCD in all postoperative trauma patients who develop accessible abdominal abscesses before resorting to re-exploration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stylianos
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Starker
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Laffey
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bixon
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Forde
mesh_terms: D000007:Abdominal Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D000038:Abscess / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D004322:Drainage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000209:etiology; D012086:Reoperation; D013369:Subphrenic Abscess / Q000601:surgery; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery