PERCUTANEOUS CATHETER DRAINAGE OF TUBERCULOUS AND NONTUBERCULOUS PSOAS ABSCESSES

Objective: To assess the utility of percutaneous catheter drainage in the management of tuberculous and nontuberculous psoas abscesses assoc iated without any bony involvement or with minimal bony lesions that c ould not cause vertebral instability. Materials and method: Eleven pat ients with psoas, iliopsoas and pelvic abscesses were drained under co mputed tomography and ultrasonography guidance. Results: There were 15 (10 tuberculous, 5 pyogenic) abscesses in 11 patients. Six of the tub erculous abscesses and one of the pyogenic abscess were associated wit h vertebral involvement. Vertebral lesions were located in one or two vertebrae without causing any serious disturbance in the vertebral sta bilization. In one case, the abscess was bilateral. Nine cases were dr ained under computed tomography guidance, while two cases were drained under both computed tomography and ultrasonography guidance. One sess ion drainage was sufficient for abscess resolution in uniloculated cas es. In the two of four multiloculated cases, catheter drainage was per formed twice. Relapse of the abscess was found in only one patient. Th e mean abscess volume was 520 ml and mean drainage duration was 12 day s. None of the cases required surgery. Conclusion: Percutaneous draina ge, chemotherapy and additional external brace application with the ca ses associated with bony lesion may be used for treatment of tuberculo us and nontuberculous unilocule and multiloculated abscesses.