[Splenic abscess, a diagnostic and therapeutic problem]

Splenic abscess remains a rare entity, reserved for patients with predisposing factors or immunosuppressive conditions. In our 13 patients in which a splenic abscess was diagnosed pre- or intra-operatively, an average of 14 days past before the diagnosis was made. Main symptoms were fever, upper left abdominal pain, auscultatory left basal anomalies and splenomegaly. Culture from the spleen material included E. coli, Staphylococcus, Proteus, Salmonella and Streptococcus v. Although splenectomy has been considered the standard procedure for this pathology, we treated our last three patients by means of Computed Tomography Percutaneous Drainage (C.T.G.P.D.). There was no need for splenectomy after this procedure and there were no complications associated with the C. T. G. P. D.