INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY OF INTRAABDOMINA L FLUID COLLECTIONS

Radiologically guided abscess drainage has become the prefered treatme nt for a large spectrum of abscesses and fluid collections throughout the body. Early diagnosis and successful drainage, adequat antibiother apy and reanimation are the first objectives to be achieved when a pat ient presents with an abdominal abscess. The role of imaging methods i s to precisely define the area where the drainage will be done, it's l imits and exact localisation. The basic knowledge of the anatomy of th e peritoneal cavity is essential before any attempt to aspirate or dra ine a peritoneal fluid collection. While limitation exists, indication for percutaneous drainage continues to expand and the results have im proved steadily. The efficacy of percutaneous drainage could be estima ted around 80 to 85% spearing the risk of a surgical reintervention. T he percutaneous drainage of abdominal collection is a prototype proced ure that defines the interventional radiologist as an imager, an inter ventionalist, and a clinician. This supposes from the radiologist to b e responsable for the patient's and the catheter care. These are essen tial factors of success as the radiologist assumes an increasing clini cal role.