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Updated: Aug 9, 2026
Retroperitoneal Laparoscopic Debridement and Drainage for Pancreatic Abscess
Published on: March 15, 2024
Percutaneous drainage of postoperative abdominal abscess with limited accessibility: preexisting surgical drains as
Young Jun Kim1, Joon Koo Han, Jeong Min Lee
1Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 28 Yongon-dong, Chongno-gu, Seoul, 110-744, Korea.
Purpose:
To retrospectively assess the effectiveness and safety of postoperative percutaneous drainage of abdominal abscesses with limited accessibility by using a preexisting surgical drain as an access route.
Materials And Methods:
The study was approved by the institutional review board, and informed consent was not required. The authors reviewed the medical records of 92 patients (62 male, 30 female; median age, 59 years; age range, 3-79 years) with postoperative abdominal abscesses in whom percutaneous drainage was performed by using surgical drains as an access. Factors evaluated included the location and size of the lesion; time between surgery and the drainage procedure; distance between the lesion and surgical drain; presence of fistula; duration of drainage; type of surgical drain; size, type, and length of drainage catheter; and complications. Technical success was defined as adequate placement of a new drainage catheter into the target abscess. Midterm success was defined as avoidance of surgery or additional percutaneous drainage during the 6 months of follow-up. Univariate analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis were performed to determine factors that affected the technical or midterm success of the procedure.
Results:
Of 92 postoperative abscesses for which the technique was attempted, 56 (61%) had a subphrenic location and 36 (39%) had a peripancreatic location. Technical success was achieved in 87 of the 92 patients (95%). Technical success was not significantly associated with any of the factors tested. Midterm success was achieved in 75 of the 87 patients (86%) in whom technical success was achieved. Midterm failure showed a statistically significant relationship with the presence of fistula (P = .04). No procedure-related complications were identified.
Conclusion:
Percutaneous drainage by using the surgical drain as an access route is an effective and safe alternative for draining postoperative abdominal abscesses that are less accessible with direct puncture..
