Abstract:
Spleen abscess is a life-threatening disease. Treatment can be done by medical, radiological, or surgical methods. Here, we offer an innovative method of laparoscopic trocar-assisted percutaneous abscess drainage in the treatment of splenic abscess. Our patient, a 48-year-old male who had a kidney transplant 3 years previously, was admitted due to abdominal pain and fever. A-25-cm splenic abscess was detected, and ultrasonography-guided percutaneous catheter 10F drainage was attempted. However, this attempt was not successful due to the high viscosity of the abscess content. Under general anesthesia, we then attempted abscess drainage percutaneously via a 12-mm laparoscopic trocar, and a large-bore drain of 28F was inserted into the abscess cavity. The drainage was successful (5300 mL high viscosity content) without any complications. The patient was discharged on day 8 and remained well at 9-month follow-up. Percutaneous drainage instead of splenectomy is preferred in the treatment of spleen abscess by preserving the immunologic functions of the spleen, particularly in immunocompromised patients. When percutaneous catheter drainage therapy fails, percutaneous treatment with a laparoscopic trocar is an innovative and reliable alternative. © Başkent University 2022.