Abstract
Although subphrenic abscesses may arise from primary infections of the biliary tract, the appendix, or the colon, in the great majority of cases subphrenic sepsis follows a previous abdominal operation. In DeCosse, Poulin, Fox, and Condon’s study of 52 patients in whom subphrenic sepsis followed previous surgery, 22 of them developed abscesses subsequent to operations on the stomach and 11 of them, abscesses after biliary tract surgery. Other causes of subphrenic abscesses included surgery for trauma in 7 patients and colon operations in another 7 cases. These authors felt that postoperative bleeding was a common contributing cause in their series of subphrenic abscesses, many of which were, in fact, infected hematomas. Inadvertent splenectomy was another postoperative complication associated with left-sided subphrenic sepsis following gastric surgery.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Boyd DP. The subphrenic spaces and the emperor’s new robes. N Engl J Med 1966;275:911.
Clairmont P, Ranzi E. Kasuistischer Beitrag zür operativen Behandlung des subphrenischen Abszesses. Wien Klin Wochenschr 1905;18:653.
DeCosse JJ, Poulin TL, Fox PS et al. Subphrenic abscesses. Surg Gynecol Obstet 1974;138:841.
Dineen P, McSherry CK. Subdiaphragmatic abscess. Ann Surg 1962;155:506.
Halasz NA. Subphrenic abscess. JAMA 1970;214:724.
Johnson WC, Gerzof SG, Robbins AH et al. Treatment of abdominal abscesses. Ann Surg 1981;194:510.
Mandel SR, Boyd D, Jaques PF et al. Drainage of hepatic, intraabdominal, and mediastinal abscesses guided by computerized axial tomography; successful alternative to open drainage. Am J Surg 1983;145:120.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1994 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Chassin, J.L. (1994). Drainage of Subphrenic Abscess. In: Operative Strategy in General Surgery. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-4169-8_99
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-4169-8_99
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-4171-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-4169-8
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive