Orhan Büyükbebeci, İlker Seçkiner, Burçin Karslı, Günhan Karakurum, İlyas Başkonuş, Onur Bilge, Burkay Kutluhan Kacira


March 2012, Volume 21, Issue 3, pp 470 - 473 Original Article Read Full Article 10.1007/s00586-011-2049-2

First Online: 21 October 2011

Purpose

Nowadays, endoscopic techniques are widely used in surgical procedures. Retroperitoneoscopy has been an extremely valuable tool for a wide variety of urologic disorders, whereas, it has limited use in orthopedic procedures.

Methods

We performed retroperitoneoscopic drainage (in combination with medical treatment) of complicated psoas abscess on 12 patients with tuberculous spondylitis. All the procedures were done under general anesthesia and in the lateral decubitus position. Psoas abscess was evacuated during procedure, and postoperatively, drainage was continued through a large silastic tube. The definitive diagnosis and the treatment were made based on the results of culture-antibiogram and PCR testing.

Results

Complete clinical and radiologic remission was observed in all patients in 3–6 months. The complication was not observed in any case postoperatively.

Conclusions

Retroperitoneoscopic drainage of psoas abscesses gains advantages in terms of rapid recovery, minimal invasiveness, absence of radiation, and shorter hospital stay. This procedure can be used not only for cold abscesses but also for other pathologies of lumbar vertebral area.


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