Locations of intra-abdominal abscesses (from Table III, page 520):
(1) subphrenic space
(2) pelvic space
(3) subhepatic space
(4) paracolic gutter
(5) lesser sac
(6) subfascial
Organ failures (Table IV, page 520):
(1) respiratory
(2) hepatic
(3) renal
(4) stress gastrointestinal hemorrhage (coagulation)
Risk factors for mortality:
(1) age > 50 years (p < 0.03)
(2) one or more organ failure(s) (p < 0.001), with risk increasing for each organ failure
(3) positive blood culture (p < 0.01)
(4) lesser sac abscess (p < 0.001)
(5) subhepatic abscess (p < 0.03)
(6) recurrent and/or persistent abscess (p < 0.01)
(7) multiple abscesses (p < 0.01)
Processes involved in:
(1) inadequate surgical drainage
(2) host defense and organ failures
where:
• I assume cardiac, neurologic and hematologic failures could also be included as organ failures.
• Immunodeficiency and immunosuppression were not listed as risk factors but may not have been present in the study population (143 general surgical patients).
• I would have expected that diabetes mellitus would contribute to increased mortality. This may be represented as failure to clear an abscess (recurrent or persistent).
