Combined approach for intrapelvic abscess drainage among adults

Obturator internus muscle (OIM) and adductor brevis (AB) abscess occurs rarely in adults. This condition mainly affects children experiencing trauma. This paper presents and discusses a unique case of OIM and AB abscess in an adult male that was treated operatively with a combined surgical approach (modified Stoppa and Smith-Peterson) after multiple failed drainage procedures.

A 23-year-old male underwent reduction and fixation of his right tibiae shaft fracture with an intramedullary nail. After several referrals to the emergency room due to recurrent symptoms of fever and groin pain, he was finally admitted and diagnosed with OIM and AB abscess and fulminant MRSA sepsis. The operative treatment was performed by addressing the abscess with an unusual combined surgical approach (Smith-Peterson and modified Stoppa) for abscess drainage.

Using PubMed, Google scholar and Hadassah Hebrew University search engines, we conducted a literature search using the following keywords: 'pyomyositis', 'obturator abscess', 'pelvic abscess', and 'pelvic osteomyelitis among children and adults'. Twenty case studies were found (14 children and 6 adults). No cases of combined OIM and AB abscess were found and only one OIM case was reported with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus (MRSA).