An abdominal abscess is a pouch of inflamed tissue that is filled with pus. An abscess might form on any part of the body and typically found on the skin surface. It is likely to form in the following areas:
- Behind the abdominal cavity
- Inside the abdominal compartment
- Beneath the diaphragm
An abscess can also form in or around the abdominal organs including the pancreas, liver and kidneys. They might also form for no evident reason but brought about by a bacterial infection. In some cases, they occur after an intra-abdominal surgery or an abdominal injury.
What are the causes?
An abdominal abscess is generally due to an infection or trauma. Those that form in the abdomen can develop if an organ ruptures or if infection or inflammation from other conditions has spread such as pancreatitis, appendicitis and Crohn’s disease.
Depending on the location of the abdominal abscess, there are also other possible causes to be considered.
- Mid-abdominal abscess – due to a burst organ in the middle abdominal region such as the appendix or intestines. It might also be due to diseases involving the abdominal organs such as irritable bowel disease.
- Beneath the diaphragm – due to infected fluid that enters the area that might be caused by an internal damage or burst organ.
- Behind the abdominal cavity – an abscess might form if the adjacent organs become infected or inflamed.
Indications of an abdominal abscess
The general indications of an abdominal abscess include:
- Feeling sick
- Abdominal pain
- Abdominal discomfort
In case an infection is present, other symptoms that might develop include nausea, fever and weight loss. Other symptoms might also be present depending on the site of the abscess.
Management
Drainage is the initial step in managing an abdominal abscess. Drainage using a needle is one of the methods utilized to drain pus from an abscess.
During the procedure, the doctor will utilize a CT scan or ultrasound to assist with the insertion of a needle into the skin and directly into the abscess. The doctor will draw up the syringe to extract the fluid. After drainage, the doctor will send a sample to the laboratory for analysis to determine the antibiotics to prescribe.
Some cases might require surgery to clean out the abscess, organ has ruptured or if the abscess is hard to reach using a needle.
Antibiotics are usually given to manage the infection responsible for the abdominal abscess and prevent infection after the drainage procedure.