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2026, Number 1

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Acta Med 2026; 24 (1)

Intra-abdominal abscess. Role of the radiologist in its identification and management, regardless of the imaging method used

Motta RGA, Córdova GDE, Cerda SAP

Language: Spanish
References: 17
Page: 36-42
PDF size: 825.39 Kb.


ABSTRACT

Intra-abdominal abscesses (IAA) are localized collections of purulent inflammatory tissue caused by a mixture of bacteria, including anaerobes, and the usual flora, characterized by a central necrotic collection with leukocytes and tissue. The most common causes include trauma, recent abdominal surgery, and perforation of the gastrointestinal tract, either due to peptic ulcer or diverticular disease. Intra-abdominal and retroperitoneal abscesses can occur adjacent to foci of infection (diverticulitis, appendicitis, etc.), as a result of external or internal contamination (post-surgery or cholangiopancreatography), or as a consequence of generalized peritonitis or hematogenous dissemination. Less common are lesions of the genital tract that affect the formation of IAA. Anatomical knowledge of the abdominal spaces, including the retroperitoneum, allows us to anticipate the most likely sites to which an IAA will extend. CT is the method of choice to define and evaluate IAA, with the possibility to offer a non-surgical therapeutic alternative. Any percutaneous approach to the IAA must be performed through a safe access route to achieve the high levels of healing, palliation, and adequacy in surgical times required in an integral manner for the management of the patient.


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