[Surgical treatment of intra-abdominal abscesses]

To define the role of operative treatment of intraabdominal abscesses, we retrospectively reviewed 106 patients, who were operated for intraabdominal abscesses between January 1988 and October 1994. 49 patients had had a primary abscess, 57 patients had an anteceding operation. In both groups appendix and bilio-pancreatic tract were the mostly involved organs. 81 (76,4%) abscesses were single, whereas 17 patients had 2 and 8 patients had 3 synchronous abscesses. All abscesses fulfilled the criteria of complicated abscesses. Successful drainage was achieved in 83%, 17% of cases had to be reoperated or percutaneously drained for recurrence of abscess or abscess related complications. The procedure related morbidity was 37,7% (40/106), half of these were minor complications. 5 patients died, conferring to a mortality of 4,7%. We conclude, that operative drainage plays an important role in the therapeutic regimes of intraabdominal complicated abscesses and can be performed with low morbidity and mortality.