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Abdominal Wall Abscess due to Acute Perforated Sigmoid Diverticulitis: A Case Report with MDCT and US Findings

Vasileios Rafailidis1, Rafailidis Vasileios1, Anna Gavriilidou1

  • 1Department of Radiology, General Hospital of Katerini, 6 Km Katerini-Arona, 60100 Katerini, Greece.

Case Reports in Radiology
|January 4, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Diverticulitis can rarely cause abdominal wall abscesses, extending beyond the typical local complications. This case highlights a sigmoid diverticulitis perforation spreading to form an abdominal wall abscess, successfully treated with drainage.

Area of Science:

  • Gastroenterology
  • Surgical Pathology

Background:

  • Diverticulitis, a common condition, frequently leads to localized abscesses.
  • Rarely, the inflammatory process can extend beyond the abdominal cavity, forming extra-abdominal abscesses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present a rare case of an abdominal wall abscess secondary to sigmoid diverticulitis.
  • To discuss the pathophysiology and pathways of extra-abdominal spread of intra-abdominal infections.

Main Methods:

  • Case report of a 73-year-old male with lower left quadrant pain and a palpable mass.
  • Diagnostic imaging including ultrasonography and computed tomography (CT) to identify the abscess.
  • Surgical intervention involving local drainage of the abdominal wall abscess.

Main Results:

  • Imaging confirmed an abdominal wall abscess originating from perforated sigmoid diverticulitis.
  • The abscess formation was attributed to the contiguous spread of inflammation through the abdominal wall tissues.
  • Successful treatment was achieved through local drainage, leading to symptom resolution.

Conclusions:

  • Abdominal wall abscesses can be a rare complication of diverticulitis, resulting from direct extension of the inflammatory process.
  • Understanding the potential pathways for extra-abdominal spread is crucial for diagnosis and management of such cases.

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