Percutaneous Abscess Drainage

An abscess is a collection of infected fluid within the body. Percutaneous abscess drainage uses image guidance to place a needle or catheter through the skin into the abscess to remove or drain the infected fluid. Offers faster recovery than open surgery drainage.

Percutaneous drainage consists of emptying an existing liquid collection inside the body, for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes, through the skin, with a minimal incision and without requiring the use of an operating room, anesthesia or surgical techniques, by introducing a small catheter inside the collection and guiding its placement with imaging techniques.
Sometimes it is necessary to introduce substances into the collection, either for treatment or to sclerosis the cavity.

Indications
It is indicated in any liquid collection of a known or unknown nature.
This includes abscesses, cysts, bruises, bilomas, urinomas, seromas, etc.
The objective of the technique can be twofold:
- Diagnosis: obtain enough liquid for analysis, in order to determine its nature or the type of germs contained in it (in case it is infectious).
- Therapeutic: solve the collection and prevent it from reproducing again or accelerate its healing.