PERCUTANEOUS DRAINAGE OF ABDOMINAL ABSCESSES - ARE LARGE-BORE CATHETERS NECESSARY

Objective: To find out whether small-bore catheters (7F) are as effect ive as the 14F sump drains generally used for drainage of abdominal ab scesses. Design: Retrospective review. Setting: University hospital, S witzerland Subjects: 64 patients with intra-abdominal abscesses. Inter ventions: 40 were drained with 7F pigtail catheters and 24 by 14F sump drains. Results: Drainage was successful in 34/40 (85%) and 20/24 (83 %), respectively. There were 3 recurrences in the small-bore and 1 in the large-bore group (p = 0.4). Mean drainage time was 8 (SD 5) days a nd 11 (SD 11) days, respectively (p = 0.29). One patient (3%) develope d a complication in the small-bore group and 2 (8%) in the large-bore group. 4/6 failures in the small-bore group and 1/4 failures in the la rge-bore group were pancreatic abscesses. Conclusions: We conclude tha t percutaneous drainage with small-bore catheters is as effective as d rainage with bigger tubes.