[Clinical aspects and management of a retroperitoneal abscess]

14 patients with retroperitoneal abscess have been collected by the authors since June 1, 1988. The retroperitoneal abscess of multifactorial origin can be considered as a secondary disease. The physical clinical signs (e.g. psoas rigidity sign, palpable mass, costolumbal sensitivity) play central role in setting up of diagnosis, and these signs were present in more than 75% of the cases. The physical signs generally indicate advanced retroperitoneal abscess, and at the same time the contour of psoas muscle disappears and concavity of lumbal vertebras can be seen on plane abdominal X ray film. The exact diagnosis was achieved in mean 45 days after the on set of complaints, this fact urges, that the up-to-date imaging modalities (US, CT, NMR) should be applied earlier in septic conditions of unknown origin. Retroperitoneal surgical intervention was performed in their patients, in the future the percutaneous drainage procedure has to be considered as first intervention for retroperitoneal abscess. Retroperitoneal abscess secondary to malignant disease has unfavorable prognosis, 2 out of 14 patients with retroperitoneal abscess died, both of them had underlying malignancy.