Infection of fetal scalp electrode monitoring sites.

Complications caused by placement of a fetal scalp electrode include trauma, hemorrhage and infection. Infections are usually localized and self-limited, but they can occasionally lead to serious complications, such as osteomyelitis, sepsis and death. The recommended treatment for a scalp abscess is incision and drainage, followed by appropriate antibiotic therapy. If a serious infection is suspected, the infant should be hospitalized, blood cultures obtained and intravenous antibiotic therapy initiated.     

Actinomycosis: diagnosis and management

Actinomycosis is an uncommon, chronic bacterial infection that induces both suppurative and granulomatous inflammation. Localized swelling with suppuration, abscess formation, tissue fibrosis, and sinus drainage characterizes this disease. The infection spreads contiguously, often forming draining sinuses that extrude characteristic but not pathognomonic "sulfur granules." Infections of the oral and cervicofacial regions are most common; however, any site in the body can be infected and it often mimics malignancy. Other regions that are often affected are the thoracic and abdominopelvic, as well as the central nervous system. Musculoskeletal and disseminated disease can also be seen, albeit rarely. Prolonged antimicrobial therapy with penicillin has typically been recommended for patients with all clinical forms of actinomycosis to prevent disease recrudescence.     

Infections in the female genital tract

Anaerobic organisms are the predominant etiologic agents in female genital tract infections. This article describes the conditions necessary for anaerobic growth, cites the diseases in which these organisms play a role, and outlines therapy for anaerobic genital infections. As interest in anaerobic bacteria has increased and culture techniques have improved, the number and variety of species of organisms has grown. Infections generally consist of several anaerobic species with 1 or more aerobic species. It is unclear whether additional organisms such as mycoplasma species or chlamydia impact on the establishment of genital tract infections, and whether multiple anaerobic organisms are needed to establish and maintain infection. For clinical infection to develop, an alteration in either host resistance or numbers of bacteria present must occur. Infections are usually associated with a compromised host whose defense mechanisms have been altered by natural causes or medical interventions such as trauma, surgery, irradiation, steroid treatment, immunosuppressive agents, cytotoxic agents, and certain antibiotics. Infections are classified as either hospital-acquired or community-acquired. The latter category includes pelvic inflammatory disease, pelvic thrombophlebitis, septic abortion, and premature rupture of the membranes. Hospital-acquired infections include postcesarean section endometritis, postoperative pelvic infections, wound infections, hospital-terminated pregnancy, septic thrombophlebitis, and pelvic abscess. Most diseases caused by anaerobic bacteria are characterized by tissue necrosis and abscess formation and an indolent or chronic course. Therapy options include supportive therapy with fluids and blood, administration of antibiotics, and surgical drainage. Initial therapy with full supportive endeavors and full-dose antimicrobial therapy is preferable to planned sequential antibiotic management. In vitro activity against anaerobes and aerobic organisms, tissue penetration, and toxicity should be considered in selecting antimicrobial agents. High-dose single agent chemotherapy is effective in early infections, whereas late infections require double or triple therapy.     

New trends in the management of peritonsillar abscess

Peritonsillar abscess is the most common complication of acute tonsillitis. Signs and symptoms include fever, unilateral sore throat, odynophagia and trismus. Optimal management consists of antibiotic therapy and drainage of the abscess. Controversy exists about the drainage procedure, which includes needle aspiration, incision and drainage, or acute tonsillectomy. Data indicate that outpatient needle aspiration, antibiotics and pain medication are effective treatment in 85 to 90 percent of patients with uncomplicated peritonsillar abscesses.     

A rare case of a prostatic abscess,bacteremia and chronic granulomatous disease associated with Klebsiella pneumoniae

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a primary immunodeficiency disease characterized by severe recurrent infections such as pneumonia, liver and skin infections. However, prostatic abscesses are rare as only two cases have been reported thus far. We present the case of a 41-year-old patient with CGD who was admitted to the hospital with fever and subsequently, Klebsiella pneumoniae was identified on blood culture. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a prostatic abscess. He improved with intravenous antibiotics and drainage of the abscess. After he was taken off the intravenous antibiotics and started on an oral agent, he was discharged from the hospital. We confirmed a reduction in the prostatic abscess size and continued the antibiotic therapy for 52 days. A prostatic abscess is an uncommon disease being diagnosed at a median age of 49 years. Sometimes it is discovered in patients with fever of unknown origin and might be considered as an infection site of CGD patients.     

Sonographic percutaneous drainage of liver abscesses

13 patients with pyogenic liver abscess and five patients with amoebic abscess underwent percutaneous drainage of the abscesses using the Seldinger (n = 8) or trocar technique (n = 11). The results showed that the trocar method was easier and faster to perform and well tolerated by the patients. No complications were observed despite of one case of transient peritonitis caused by a dislocated catheter. One patient with pyogenic liver abscess died of septic shock. All other patients were successfully treated, using local drainage and systemic antibiotic therapy.     

超声在细菌性肝脓肿诊断及治疗中的应用

[目的]探讨分析细菌性肝脓肿的超声表现及超声诊断技术和介入性治疗的临床应用价值.[方法]回顾性分析经临床随访及超声引导下穿刺活检证实76例细菌性肝脓肿临床及影像学资料.[结果]肝脓肿随病理过程的变化临床及超声表现各不同,超声引导下穿刺活检可确诊,大部分可行超声引导下脓肿穿刺抽吸或置管引流,结合全身治疗,可使病程缩短.[结论]肝脓肿声像图复杂多变,超声仍为首选方法,超声引导下穿刺更具诊断意义,超声引导下穿刺引流疗效显著.     

Liver abscess that responded well to pazufloxacin therapy

Pazufloxacin (PZFX), an injectable, new quinolone antibacterial drug, has strong antibacterial activity against gram-negative bacteria (which often account for liver abscess) and transfers well to liver tissue, gallbladder tissue, and bile. Therefore, it is probable that PZFX could be extremely useful for patients with liver abscess. Here, we report two cases of liver abscess that resolved with PZFX. PZFX was intravenously administered to patients who had undergone abscess drainage, at a dose level of 500 mg × 2/day. PZFX therapy thereby allowed the patients to shorten the period of hospital stay. Liver abscess has been considered as a poor-prognosis disorder, due to delay in diagnosis of the disorder and the high incidence of septicemia that subsequently occurs. However, now, appropriate antibacterial drug therapy in combination with abscess drainage successfully allows excellent prognosis of patients with liver abscess without the reduction in the activities of daily living (ADL) that accompanies hepatic artery injection.     

Hepatic abscesses in immunocompromised patients: Ultrasonically guided percutaneous drainage

Ultrasonically guided percutaneous drainage (US-PD) is considered first-line therapy for hepatic abscesses, but no data are available on its efficacy in severely immunocompromised patients. Therefore, we examined 15 such patients in whom one or more hepatic abcesses of different etiology were treated with US-PD. Eleven patients underwent needle aspiration and four had catheter drainage under US guidance. In 12 cases we achieved complete healing of the abscesses. In one case, clinical improvement was obtained but surgery was required for cure. In another case (fungal abscess in AIDS), we had no improvement and the patient died. No procedural complications were observed. Seven patients died during the follow-up periods of up to 49 months from their underlying disease. We conclude that US-PD must be considered the therapy of choice for hepatic abscess (except the fungal lesions) in severely immunocompromised patients.     

Recurrent pyogenic liver abscess after pancreatoduodenectomy caused by common hepatic artery injury: A case report

BACKGROUNDPancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) has been increasingly performed as a safe treatment option for periampullary malignant and benign disorders. However, the operation may result in significant postoperative complications. Here, we present a case that recurrent pyogenic liver abscess after PD is caused by common hepatic artery injury in atypical celiac axis anatomy.CASE SUMMARYA 56-year-old man with a 1-d history of fever and shivering was diagnosed with hepatic abscess. One year and five months ago, he underwent PD at a local hospital to treat chronic pancreatitis. After the operation, the patient had recurrent intrahepatic abscesses for 4 times, and the symptoms were relieved after percutaneous transhepatic cholangial drainage combining with anti-inflammatory therapy in the local hospital. Further examination showed that the recurrent liver abscess after PD was caused by common hepatic artery injury due to abnormal abdominal vascular anatomy. The patient underwent percutaneous drainage but continued to have recurrent episodes. His condition was eventually cured by right hepatectomy. In this case, preoperative examination of the patient’s anatomical variations with computed tomography would have played a pivotal role in avoiding arterial injuries.CONCLUSIONA careful computed tomography analysis should be considered mandatory not only to define the operability (with radical intent) of PD candidates but also to identify atypical arterial patterns and plan the optimal surgical strategy.     

Therapeutic options in acute diverticulitis

Diverticulitis is a serious intra-abdominal infection that ultimately afflicts about one in four patients having colonic diverticulosis. The illness may be indolent or fulminant, depending on the degree of colonic spillage and its containment. Most patients require hospitalization, and medical therapy suffices in about three fourths. Those who fail aggressive medical management and those with recurrent acute attacks, diffuse peritonitis, abscess, persistent obstruction, or fistulization require surgical intervention. Abdominal CT scanning has supplanted the contrast enema as the acute diagnostic procedure of choice and allows guided percutaneous drainage of large abscesses in selected cases. This approach helps realize the surgical ideal of a single elective operation without a temporary colostomy. For those patients still requiring emergency surgery, the two-stage approach employing resection of the diseased colon at the initial operation is far superior to the older three-stage approach.     

保留括约肌闭合引流术治疗坐骨直肠窝脓肿的临床研究

目的:探讨保留括约肌闭合引流术治疗坐骨直肠窝脓肿的临床疗效。方法:将16例坐骨直肠窝脓肿患者随机分为两组,治疗组采用保留括约肌闭合引流术治疗,对照组采用经典的切开引流术,术后用雷夫诺尔纱条换药,形成肛瘘者再行肛瘘手术。两组患者痊愈后进行肛门功能、瘢痕面积和治疗时间的对照研究,并随访6个月观察疗效。结果:两组在痊愈后瘢痕面积及治疗时间上有统计学差异(P<0.05)。结论:保留括约肌闭合引流术治疗坐骨直肠窝脓肿具有一定的优势,在治愈肛周脓肿的同时能保护肛门括约肌,并缩短治疗时间。     

Nonsurgical management of thyroid abscess with sonographically guided fine needle aspiration

Treatment of thyroid abscess commonly includes the surgical drainage along with systemic antibiotic therapy. Alternatives for open surgical intervention may be the conservative management with use needle aspiration or catheter drainage. We report here two cases of thyroid abscess treatment with 21-gauge needle aspiration under ultrasound guidance. In each case needle drainage was performed twice, at the 1st and 5th day of admission. Antibiotics were administered in pills and injected into the abscess cavity followed the pus aspiration and lavage. Both patients were cured. Follow-up has not revealed recurrence during 6 month and 5 years.     

一件式和两件式泌尿造口袋在胰周脓肿引流管护理中的应用体会

目的探讨微创治疗重症急性胰腺炎继发胰周脓肿后引流管护理的方法,比较一件式和两件式泌尿造口袋的应用时机和方法。方法在微创治疗重症胰腺炎患者的过程中,根据引流流管口粗细和沿引流管流出的脓肿引流液的量,在合适的时机选用一件式或两件式泌尿造口袋护理引流管。结果本组48例患者均采用一件式或两件式泌尿造口袋引流,引流液观察记录准确,无一例发生引流管周围皮肤浸渍,且减少医护工作量,为患者节约费用。结论声镜结合的方法治疗重症急性胰腺炎继发胰周脓肿的护理关键在于引流管护理,合理使用一件式或两件式泌尿造口袋护理引流管能收到事半功倍的效果,值得在临床上推广应用。     

Extended-spectrum cephalosporin compared to cefazolin for treatment of Klebsiella pneumoniae-caused liver abscess

From January 1995 to May 2000, a total of 107 adults with liver abscess due to Klebsiella pneumoniae admitted at a large medical center in northern Taiwan were reviewed. Patients were considered to have received cefazolin or an extended-spectrum cephalosporin if they received at least 3 days of that antibiotic within the first 5 days of hospitalization. Fifty-nine (55.1%) patients received cefazolin, and 48 (44.9%) patients received an extended-spectrum cephalosporin. The demographic data, clinical features, severities of illness, and rates of early drainage for the two groups were comparable. However, the rates of developing complications for the two groups were significantly different (37.3 versus 6.3%, respectively; P < 0.001). Furthermore, six independent factors preventing severe complications following liver abscess due to K. pneumoniae were identified: normal platelet count, alkaline phosphatase less than 300 U/liter, no gas formation in the abscess, APACHE III score less than 40, use of an extended-spectrum cephalosporin, and early drainage. In conclusion, cefazolin therapy may be suboptimal for patients with liver abscess due to K. pneumoniae despite active in vitro susceptibility. Use of an extended-spectrum cephalosporin and early drainage for patients with liver abscess due to K. pneumoniae are suggested.     

Acute neck infections in children: who is likely to undergo surgical drainage?

Background

Superficial neck infections including lymphadenitis and abscesses are commonly encountered in pediatric emergency departments (PEDs). It is often unclear which patients are likely to develop an abscess that necessitates surgical drainage. In evaluating these patients, computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound are often used to identify/confirm abscess formation. The criteria for determining the need for imaging studies are not well defined.

Design/Methods

All visits to the study PED were examined in 2009 to 2010. Visits with the diagnosis of cervical lymphadenitis or abscess were identified. Records were retrospectively reviewed to determine the duration of symptoms, fever, previous antibiotic therapy, prior PED visit, size of neck swelling, fluctuance on physical examination, white blood cell count, and results of CT and/or ultrasound obtained in the PED. Data were analyzed to determine which of these characteristics were more likely to be associated with an abscess that was operatively drained.

Results

A total of 768 patients were evaluated for neck infections. One hundred twelve (14%) of these pediatric patients underwent abscess drainage in the operating room. Two hundred eighty-nine patients underwent a neck CT and/or ultrasound, of which 119 were positive for abscess. Factors associated with surgical drainage included fluctuance (odds ratio [OR], 18.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.66-31.37), previous emergency department visit (OR, 2.79; 95% CI, 1.34-5.84), and age less than 4 years (OR, 3.01; 95% CI, 1.15-9.87). A recursive partitioning model stratified patients' risk for going to the operating room. Patients without fluctuance and with no prior emergency department visit, along with no prior antibiotic use, have less than 4% chance of having an abscess that necessitates surgical drainage.

Conclusions

Pediatric patients who are more likely to have a neck infection that necessitates surgical drainage can be stratified based on clinical characteristics. This knowledge may allow physicians to better predict the resource needs including hospital admission and emergent imaging for neck infection.     

Splenic abscess in an infant caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptococcus intermedius</Emphasis>

We report a 20-month-old girl with splenic abscess. The patient was admitted to our hospital because of persistent high fever and abdominal pain. Laboratory data showed leucocytosis and elevated C-reactive protein levels. Abdominal computed tomography showed multiple low-density lesions in the spleen. These findings were consistent with a diagnosis of splenic abscess. She was successfully treated with ultrasonographically guided percutaneous drainage for 11 days and intravenous antibiotic for 17 days. On culture, aspirated fluid from the abscess grew Streptococcus intermedius. This case illustrates that the differential diagnosis of unknown-focus infection in infants should include splenic abscess. We recommend conservative therapy (antibiotics and drainage) as first-line therapy for splenic abscess in pediatric patients, based on the importance of the immunological functions of the spleen.     

Extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma(nasal type) presenting as a perianal abscess: A case report

BACKGROUND Extranodal natural killer(NK) T-cell lymphoma(ENKTL), nasal type is a rare subtype of extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma characterized by vascular damage and necrosis. The lesions usually present in the nasal cavity and adjacent tissues, however, the disease originates from the gastrointestinal or genitourinary tract in 25% of cases. Since rectal involvement in ENKTL is rare, rectal symptoms in the course of ENKTL are often misdiagnosed and considered to be related to benign diseases such as rectal fistula or perianal abscess.CASE SUMMARY We report the case of a 24-year-old Han Chinese female who initially presented with a perianal abscess that was subsequently diagnosed as nasal type ENKTL.Due to typical perianal pain, perianal abscess was diagnosed and surgical incision and drainage were performed. After recurrent, severe anal hemorrhages leading to hypovolemic shock and multiple surgeries, a diagnosis of ENKTL was made. The patient's condition gradually deteriorated, and she died shortly after initiation of chemotherapy.CONCLUSION Systemic and neoplastic diseases should be included in the differential diagnosis of any potentially benign perianal abscess complicated with recurrent hemorrhages.     

Effect of a single percutaneous abscess drainage puncture and imipenem therapy,alone or in combination,in treatment of mixed-infection abscesses in mice

The importance of supplementary imipenem therapy after a single percutaneous abscess drainage puncture was studied in a mouse model of established mixed-infection abscesses. Animals were treated for 3 days with daily dosing regimens of 384 to 1,536 mg/kg of body weight that took into account the short half-life of this antibiotic in mice. Imipenem therapy in conjunction with abscess drainage was significantly better than drainage alone in reducing the Escherichia coli and Bacteroides fragilis counts in the mixed infections. Furthermore, the killing of B. fragilis by the combination of imipenem therapy and abscess drainage was significantly better than that by imipenem treatment alone. The maximum reductions in E. coli and B. fragilis counts were 1.1 and 2.2 log(10) CFU/abscess, respectively. In contrast, the in vitro activity of imipenem was significantly better (maximum reduction, > or =6.2 log(10) CFU/ml) against mixed cultures of the same strains even when bacterial numbers similar to those found in the abscesses were used. Comparable in vivo activity was achieved only when treatment was started 30 min before inoculation (reduction for both strains, > or =6.1 log(10) CFU/abscess), but this killing was significantly diminished if the start of treatment was delayed until > or =12 h after inoculation. Imipenem concentrations in abscess tissue reached levels above the MIC for E. coli for >60% of the dosing interval. Possible reasons for the reduced activity of imipenem in vivo are discussed, and we conclude that standard susceptibility tests overestimate the efficacy of this antibiotic against the organisms present in these abscesses.     

Transrectal and transvaginal sonographic intervention of infected pelvic fluid collections: a complete approach

Infected pelvic fluid collections are relatively common particularly after abdominal or pelvic surgery or in patients suffering from benign intestinal disease such as diverticulitis, appendicitis, or Crohn's disease. Historically the treatment of pelvic abscess has been either laparotomy with lavage or blind surgical incision and drainage through the rectal or vaginal wall. More recently, computed tomography and ultrasound-guided percutaneous drainage has become the procedure of choice, when feasible, for the treatment of pelvic abscess. However, many deep pelvic collections are not amenable to percutaneous technique. Transrectal or transvaginal ultrasound-guided abscess drainage is a safe and effective method used in the treatment of deep pelvic abscesses. The purpose of this article is to review the techniques, patient selection, pre- and post-procedural care, and monitoring aspects of transrectal or transvaginal ultrasound-guided drainage.