[Computed tomographic analysis of postoperative abdominal compartments. A comparative study of 100 patients with...

100 patients with 140 abdominal abscesses were included in this study: 113 occurred intraperitoneal, 85% of these postoperatively, 15% spontaneously and in 11.5% the retroperitoneal space was affected concomitantly. In the postoperative group multilocular disease (= more than one typical compartment affected) was much more frequent when compared to spontaneous abscesses. Surgery with peritoneal barrier changes resulted in formation of new and "atypical" abdominal compartments which were the site of 39% of postoperative abscesses in this series. Communications of the lesser sac with the left subphrenic space were most frequently involved, followed by the fused right subphrenic and subhepatic space, when the coronary ligament was disconnected operatively. Knowledge of surgically induced changes of normal abdominal anatomy and its role for abscess formation and propagation may be very essential for correct CT-localization and CT-guided drainage.