Single step therapy for abscess foci localized at different parts of the body using trocar type catheter: Results of two year-experience

Objectives: The aim of this study was to emphasize the feasibility and cost effectiveness of trocar type catheter in percutaneous abscess drainage under imaging guidance and to determine the clinical efficacy of the method.Materials and methods: From June 2008 to December 2010, 48 patients who were referred to interventional radiology unit, in order to undergo percutaneous abscess drainage. All was data including age, the organ or the part of the body where the abscess was localized and size of abscess were recorded. Forty-two (87%) patients underwent drainage with ultrasonographic guidance, while 6 (13%) underwent with computed tomography guidance. One pediatric patient underwent systemic sedation anesthesia (with remiphentanyl and midazolam) and the rest of the patient with local anesthesia (with prilocain hydrochlorid). Catheterization procedure with which abscess drainage was done accepted as technically successful.Results: Imaging guided percutaneous abscess drainage procedures were performed with trocar type catheter to localized abscesses in different organs or systems in 48 patients (25 men, 23 women, mean age 52 years, range 2-82 years). Technical success was 100% in all cases. No patient had a complication during the procedure. Time to extraction of percutaneous catheter after drainage procedure was 5-28 days (mean 11.2 days). There was no recurrence except for a case, in which an abscess at the splenectomy site was successfully drained.Conclusion: Percutaneous drainage with imaging guidance using the trocar type catheter should be preferred because of its feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and reduced rate of complications in treating abscesses, which localized at different organ systems.