Comparison of clinical success between CT-guided percutaneous drainage and open surgical drainage of intra-abdominal fluid collection in Srinagarind Hospital.

Background: Treatment outcome of intra-abdominal fluid collections has improved over the recent decades due to advancement in surgical techniques as well as development of computed tomography (CT) guided percutaneous interventional techniques. Objective: To compare clinical success of CT-guided percutaneous drainage with open surgical drainage of intra-abdominal fluid collections in Srinagarind hospital. Material and Method: The records and images of all patients undergone CT-guided percutaneous drainage (CT-PCD) or open surgical drainage (OSD) from 2004 to 2007 were reviewed. Comparison of clinical success (improvement of lesion, subsidence of clinical sepsis, no complications, and no mortality) between the two groups was determined. Results: There was no statistically significant difference (p-value = 0.520) in the clinical success between CT-PCD group (25/ 29 patients, 86.2%) and OSD group (11/14 patients, 78.5%). Complication in four patients (including one death) was found in the OSD group compared to zero patients in the CT-PCD group. The proportion of lesion subsided after CT-PCD (25/28 patients, 89.3%) was higher than OSD (10/14 patients, 71.4%). The mean times of hospital stay were 20.2 days in PCD and 24.5 days in OSD groups. Conclusion: CT-guided percutaneous drainage might be used as a first line treatment of intra-abdominal fluid collections. Keywords: CT-guided percutaneous drainage, Surgical drainage, Intra-abdominal fluid collection, Srinagarind Hospital