[Peritonitis caused by rupture of a retroperitoneal abscess]

A 30 year old man presented with an initial clinical picture limited to low back pain. Increasing severity of the pain after one month led to his admission to a surgical department and the diagnosis of a large right retroperitoneal abscess. Several hours before the proposed operation for extraperitoneal surgical drainage of the abscess through a lumbar approach, his condition was complicated by the intraperitoneal rupture of the abscess. The resulting peritonitis and the retroperitoneal abscess were treated through a laparotomy and the postoperative course was uncomplicated. A literature review showed this to be only the second case of this rare generalized peritonitis complication to be reported, for which a parallel can be drawn with the intraperitoneal rupture of a pyonephrosis. A general overview of retroperitoneal abscesses is presented.