Gas-forming renal abscesses in critically ill patients: ultrasound-guided drainage

This study aimed to describe and evaluate a real-time ultrasound-guided (US-guided) drainage technique for effective and safe drainage of gas-forming renal abscesses (GRA) in an intensive care unit(ICU).

This retrospective study included four patients with GRA who were admitted to the ICU of a tertiary care center between September 2021 and September 2023. The patients were all comorbid with severe systemic infections and required drainage of abscesses for infection control. This study describes in detail the process of rapid and precise US-guided drainage of GRA by an ultrasound interventionist through certain maneuvers and techniques.

Six US-guided drainage procedures were completed in four patients, and seven catheters were placed accurately in the abscesses with a 100% success rate. No intraoperative or postoperative complications such as bleeding and peripheral organ damage were observed, and the median time with catheters was 13 days (8-46 days).

The technique of real-time US-guided drainage of GRA can be performed safely in the ICU without the need to leave the ICU, greatly reducing risk.