[Diagnosis and treatment of intra-abdominal abscesses].

Intraabdominal abscesses are life threatening complications of inflammatory processes or major surgery. Ultrasonography, computed tomography and scintigraphy are the diagnostic methods of choice. Diagnostic percutaneous puncture can be followed by therapeutic percutaneous drainage (PD). The diagnosis "intraabdominal abscess", however, is not sufficient for a rational therapeutic strategy. Therapy of intraabdominal abscesses (IAA) depends upon etiology and localization of the process and the individual situation of the patient.