Percutaneous catheter drainage of intraabdominal abscess

Percutaneous catheter drainage is a welcome advance in treatment of an intraabdominal abscess. CT provide sanatomic details of intraabdominal abscess and permits access route of catheter to effect drainage. During past 3 years percutaneous catheter drainage in 68 patients with intraabdominal abscesses was performed at the department of diagnostic radiology, Keimyung University, school of Medicine. The results of 68 percutaneous abscess drainageprocedures are summarized. In 53 cases, operation was avoided and the patients were cured. Of these, 3 cases were recurred and repeated catheter drainage was performed. Partial success was achieved in 5 cases, in 3 of the sepatients. operation was necessary, although the patient benefited from the percutaneous drainage, and in 2 patients, general condition was improved as operarion was impossible. Among 10 failures, 6 cases had fistula with small bowel loop or colon and 2 cases had multiloculated abscess.