Subscapular Abscess in a Nine-Year-Old Female Patient: A Case Report

The subscapular space is a clinically concealed anatomic space where soft-tissue abscesses can form. To our knowledge, five cases of a subscapular abscess have been reported in the past thirty-four years, so there is little evidence available to guide treatment. We present a unique case of a spontaneous, subscapular abscess due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a pediatric host, and we describe a surgical approach for adequate debridement.

The effective treatment of a subscapular abscess depends on an accurate, rapid diagnosis and effective surgical debridement. A modified Judet approach provides adequate access to the subscapular space for debridement.