"Idiopathic" intra-abdominal abscess.

Primary peritonitis that tends to occur especially in children, and cirrhotic spontaneous bacterial peritonitis are well recognized clinical entities. At the University College Hospital, Ibadan, cases of intra-abdominal abscess that do not fit the recognized criteria for primary peritonitis have been seen. These patients were neither cirrhotic nor nephrotic and all the intra-abdominal organs at operation appeared normal. This "idiopathic" intra-abdominal abscess seems to occur mainly in the tropics and is a strong differential diagnosis of typhoid perforation. Treatment consists of exploratory laparotomy, thorough irrigation of the abdominal cavity with sterile saline solution, and systemic administration of broad spectrum antibiotics.