[Chronic fistulous subphrenic abscess. Anatomic and clinic considerations on four cases (author's transl)].

The Authors describe four cases of chronic fistulous subphrenic abscess in abdominal and thoracic regions, which have come to their observation during the period of time between 1972-1979. The various locations of these abscess are being described together with the possible processes of formation, taking in to account, also for what emerges from literature, the silent course of the illness and the non specific characteristics concerning their symptomatology. Chronicity is a relatively rare condition and involves dangerous and prolonged exposures to the disease, any time the diagnosis is delayed. In the cases reported the first clinical symptoms of the abscess took place during a period of the ranging from 8 months to 6 years and 10 months after an operation. So one must think immediately to the disease when, even a long time after an operation on bile ducts or on gastroenteric canal, non specific clinical symptoms appear even though the clinical and radiological findings keep on being negative.