CT guided abscess drainage: evaluation of technical parameters, endications, complications and clinical results

The main treatment of abdominopelvic abscesses is percutaneous drainage and antibiotherapy. Percutaneous drainage can be performed with CT guidance in abscesses that can not be accessed by ultrasonography. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical findings, technical parameters, clinical outcome, complications and radiation dose that exposed in patients who underwent CT-guided percutaneous intraabdominal abscess drainage. A total of 268 abscess of 218 patients (81 males, 137 females, mean age: 57.60 ± 16.42 years) who underwent CT-guided abscess drainage between 2012 and 2022 were included in the study and analyzed retrospectively. Aspiration was performed in 16 abscess, and percutaneous drainage was performed by the conventional CT on 252 abscess using Seldinger method with 8F-14F pig tail catheters. The successful drainage rate was 79.85%. The mortality rate was 1.38%. Major complication rate was 2.75% and minor complication rate was 3.21%. In our study, the clinical and laboratory findings of 218 patients (268 abscess) before the procedure, the technical details of the procedure and the follow-up data were evaluated. The follow-up period, number of abscessogram, need for revision, and positive culture results were found to be higher in abscess with fistula or connection (p<0.05). In the presence of pus in diagnostic aspiration, positive culture results was higher (p<0.05). The mean DLP value was 509.33 ± 391.94 mGy-cm and the effective dose was calculated 7.635 ± 5.88 mSv. DLP values of 268 abscess were found to differ according to the abdominal quadrants and organ locations (p<0.05). In conclusion, CT-guided percutaneous abscess drainage is an effective method with low mortality and morbidity rates compared to surgery and can be used safely in the treatment of abdominopelvic abscesses that are difficult to Access. Our study aims to contribute to the literature on technique, follow-up and radiation dose in CT-guided abscess drainage.