Intra-abdominal abscess and intractable sinus - a rare late complication after splenectomy

摘要

Intra-abdominal abscess and an intractable abdominaludwall sinus forty years after splenectomy is rare, whichudhas not been described previously in the surgical literature.udWe report the management of a patient whoudhad presented with an intractable sinus on his leftudhypochondrium forty years after having undergoneudsplenectomy and cholecystectomy, which persistedudfor more than two years despite repeated surgery andudcourses of antibiotics and compromised quality of lifeudsignificantly from pain. A sinogram and computerisedudtomographic scan followed by exploration and layingudopen of the sinus delivered multiple silk sutures used forudligation of splenic pedicle, led to complete resolution ofudthe sinus. It is important to avoid using non-absorbableudsilk sutures during splenectomy when splenectomy isudundertaken in a contaminated field. Appropriate imagingudand exploration is mandatory for its resolution.