Splenic abscess: a review of 22 cases in a single institution.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the demographics, clinical features, etiology, imaging findings, bacteriologic profile, treatment and outcome in patients presenting splenic abscess in a European tertiary hospital.


METHODS
Review of the medical charts of patients in whom splenic abscess was diagnosed at a tertiary hospital in Madrid (Spain) within a nine-year period.


RESULTS
Twenty-two cases (13 males, 9 females) were found. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was the most frequent causative microorganism, accounting for 8 cases, and immunosuppression the main predisposing factor (in 63.6% of the patients). Symptoms were quite unspecific, leading to a long, median time until diagnosis (17 days). The overall mortality rate was 18.2% and it was 25% in patients with tuberculosis and 14.28% in patients with other causes of splenic abscesses (p=0.6).


CONCLUSIONS
Immunosuppressed states are the predisposing condition for splenic abscess in almost two thirds of the patients. We found a higher percentage of M. tuberculosis than that previously reported in the English literature.
Llenas-García
Jara
J
Service of Internal Medicine, 12 de Octubre University Hospital. Avenida de Córdoba s/n. 28041 Madrid, Spain.
Fernández-Ruiz
Mario
M
Caurcel
Luis
L
Enguita-Valls
A
A
Vila-Santos
Juan
J
Guerra-Vales
Juan-Manuel
JM
D000038:Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004322:Drainage; D005260:Female; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain; D013158:Splenic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents