[Diagnosis and treatment strategy of intra-abdominal abscess].

Intraabdominal abscesses are life-threatening complications of inflammatory processes or major surgery. Ultrasonography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance, and scintigraphy are the diagnostic methods of choice. The sole diagnosis intraabdominal abcess" is insufficient to recommend a specific therapeutic strategy. Therapy depends upon etiology and localization of the process and the individual situation of the patient. An individualizing strategy may include both operative and percutaneous drainage. 100 patients with intraabdominal abscesses were treated in our department from 1987 through 1991. Roughly one third was diagnosed intraoperatively whereas less than one half of the pretherapeutically diagnosed abscesses were treated by percutaneous drainage.