doiSerbia

Abscess of the spleen

Grubor Nikica (Institut za bolesti digestivnog sistema, Klinički centar Srbije, Beograd)
Čolović Radoje (Institut za bolesti digestivnog sistema, Klinički centar Srbije, Beograd)
Čolović Nataša (Institut za hematologiju, Klinički centar Srbije, Beograd)
Radak Vladimir (Institut za bolesti digestivnog sistema, Klinički centar Srbije, Beograd)

Splenic abscess is a rare disease but with increasing frequency. The authors present 9 patients with splenic abscess treated at the Institute of Digestive System Diseases, Clinical Centre of Serbia, in a period from January 1, 1986 to May 15, 2004. Splenic abscess was the complication of septic endocarditis in 4, trauma in 2, dental infection in 1, while in 2 cases it was the complication of chemotherapy in myeloproliferative disorders. All 9 patients had fever, 7 - abdominal pain, 4 - left shoulder pain, and 1 patient had nausea and vomiting. Higher white blood count was found in 6 patients, pleural effusion in 4, elevated left hemidiaphragm in 1 and basal pneumonia in 1 patient as well. Ultrasonography and CT were the most reliable diagnostic procedures. CT was superior in diagnosis of multiple small abscesses. Culture of the pus recovered the Enterococcus in 3 cases, Streptococcus a hemolyticus in 1, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Candida albicans in 1, Staphylococcus aureus, E. Coli and Candida albicans in 1, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enteritidis in 1 case. Eight patients underwent splenectomy and 1 was cured by combined antibiotics in high doses. One patient died postoperatively due to septic endocarditis that had been present before surgery. The authors believe that splenectomy and antibiotics administered according to drug susceptibility test as well as management of underlying disease are the method of choice for splenic abscess treatment. Conservative antibiotic treatment is indicated in selected cases only.

Keywords: spleen, abscess, splenectomy