Sandbox:Aditya
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Aditya Ganti M.B.B.S. [2]
Synonyms and keywords:
Overview
An appendicular abscess is unusual and rare entity and a life threatening complication of acute appendicitis. It is seen in 2-7% of population presenting with appendicitis.
Historical Perspective
Classification
Pathophysiology
The eight functional compartments in the peritoneal cavity include the following:
- Pelvis
- Right paracolic gutter
- Left paracolic gutter
- Right infradiaphragmatic space
- Left infradiaphragmatic space
- Lesser sac
- Hepatorenal space (Morrison space)
- Interloop spaces between small intestine loops
Periappendiceal abscesses from a perforated appendix may develop in the right lower quadrant.
Transmission
The abscesses usually contain a mixture of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria from the gastrointestinal tract.
Differentiating appendicular abscess from other abscess
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Epidemiology and Demographics
The lifetime risk of appendicitis is 8.6 % for males and 6.7 % for females; however, the risk of undergoing appendectomy is much lower for males than for females (12 vs. 23 %) and it occurs most often between the ages of 10 and 30, with a male:female ratio of approximately 1.4:1.
Screening
Natural History, Complications, and Prognosis
Natural history
Complications
Prognosis
Diagnosis
History
The key to an efficient and accurate diagnosis is a detailed and thorough history. The following information should be obtained:
- Onset, location, radiation, and duration of pain;
- Aggravating or relieving factors;
- Severity of pain (constant or intermittent);
- Characteristics of the pain;
- History of the pain;
- Association with nausea, vomiting, anorexia, or diarrhea;
- Time of last bowel movement; and
- Recent use of analgesics, narcotics, or antibiotics.
Symptoms
Physical examination
Laboratory findings
Treatment
No universal standard treatment exists for appendicitis complicated by abscess. The preferred treatment includes non-operative management such as drainage and broad spectrum IV antibiotics followed by interval appendectomy with high success rates up to 97% and low incidences of complications.
Medical Therapy
Antibiotic therapy must have broad spectrum activity towards both gram-negative and anaerobic pathogens.
Empiric therapy
Monotherapy with a beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor:
- Ampicillin-sulbactam :3 g IV every six hours
- Ticarcillin-clavulanate :3 g IV every four hours
- Piperacillin-tazobactam :3 g or 4.5 g IV every six hours
Combination third generation cephalosporins PLUS metronidazole
- Ceftriaxone : 1 g IV every 24 hours (plus)
- metronidazole : 500 mg IV every eight hours.
Alternative empiric regimens
Combination fluoroquinolone◊ PLUS metronidazole:
- Ciprofloxacin (or) : 400 mg IV every 12 hours
- Levofloxacin (plus) : 500 or 750 mg IV once daily
- Metronidazole : 500 mg IV every eight hours
Monotherapy with a carbapenem
- Imipenem-cilastatin : 500 mg IV every six hours
- Meropenem : 1 g IV every eight hours
- Doripenem : 500 mg IV every eight hours
- Ertapenem : 1 g IV once daily
Surgery
Emergency appendectomy Indicated in the treatment of
- Perforated appendicitis, especially in patients with life-threatening signs of peritonitis,
- In patients with a large appendiceal abscess,
- In patients with an extraluminal appendicolith.
Percutaneous drainage
- Percutaneous drainage can be performed under US or CT guidance, using either the Seldinger or trocar technique.
- US is limited if the abscess is small, obscured by other structures, or if precise placement is required because of nearby vessels or organs. In these cases, CT is the optimal imaging modality.<ref>
- When an abscess is deep in the pelvis, depending on the specific location of the fluid collection, access may be obtained via transgluteal, transvaginal, or transrectal approaches.
- If the fluid collection is sterile, a transgluteal approach is preferred because it allows for sterile technique.<REF>
Antero-superior to the bladder
- The patient is first placed supine on the CT table for a percutaneous anterior approach to the abscess.
- Localization scan using CT allows us for selecting a safe window of access into the collection.
- A coaxial micropuncture introducer set is advanced into the abscess under CT guidance.
- An Amplatz guidewire as advanced through the sheath and coiled within the abscess.
- After serial dilatation of the tract with a dilator, an pigtail drain is advanced over the guidewire and deployed.
- A final CT scan confirmed appropriate positioning of the catheter.
Abscess between the bladder and rectum
- The patient is placed in the prone position on the CT table for a posterior transgluteal approach.
- The micropuncture introducer set was advanced as medially as possible within the greater sciatic foramen to avoid vessels and the sciatic nerve.
- An pigtail drain was advanced into the abscess by employing the same technique for the anterior abscess.