title: Percutaneous drainage of intra-abdominal abscesses using large lumen tubes under computed tomographic control.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe our experience of percutaneous drainage of intra-abdominal abscesses with large-bore catheters under computed tomographic control.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Teaching hospital, Greece.
  
  
  METHODS
  185 Patients treated for abdominal abscesses during the period 1989-94.
  
  
  METHODS
  Needle aspiration (n = 27), drainage through conventional pigtail catheters (n = 22), and drainage through large-bore (8-16F) Argyle drains (n = 136).
  
  
  METHODS
  Morbidity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall success rate was 166/185 (92%). Of the 136 patients for whom the large-bore drains were used, 9 (7%) developed major complications (bowel fistula, n = 5; and pneumothorax and haemorrhage, n = 2 each) and 10 (7%) developed minor complications (obstruction of the tube, n = 4; dislocation of the tube, n = 3; bleeding from the wound, n = 2; and haematoma of the liver, n = 1). There were no deaths.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Large-bore Argyle drains are efficient and safe for the percutaneous drainage of certain types of abdominal abscesses.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Dept of Surgery, University of Athens, Aretaeio Hospital, Greece.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Voros
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gouliamos
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kotoulas
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kouloheri
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Saloum
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kalovidouris
mesh_terms: D018784:Abdominal Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D002404:Catheterization; D004322:Drainage / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed