Laparoscopic drainage of postoperative complicated intra-abdominal abscesses

Intra-abdominal abscess, which carries significant rates of death and complications, may complicate the postoperative course. Treatment options include percutaneous needle aspiration, placement of an external drain under ultrasonic guidance, or surgical drainage, depending on the size, site, and nature (simple or complicated) of the abscess. Laparoscopic drainage may be a treatment option. A retrospective review of patients who underwent laparoscopic drainage of postoperative complicated intra-abdominal abscesses at the authors' institution from January 1997 to July 1999 was performed. Seven patients had complicated intra-abdominal abscesses 7 to 17 (mean 11) days after their initial operation. All abscesses were successfully drained by laparoscopy. The mean operative time was 64 minutes. There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications. The postoperative analgesic requirement was minimal. The suction drain was removed on average 5 days after laparoscopy, and the mean hospital stay was 6 days. There was no recurrence of symptoms at a mean follow-up of 23 months. Laparoscopic drainage, in combination with systemic antibiotics, is a safe and effective treatment option in patients with postoperative complicated intra-abdominal abscesses.