[Abscess of the spleen: diagnosis and treatment. Apropos of 12 cases].

Twelve cases of splenic abscess, seen at our hospital between January 1980 and June 1987, were reviewed retrospectively. The most common causes of splenic abscesses were subacute endocarditis and intra abdominal sepsis. Diagnosis was suspected on clinical grounds and was always confirmed by sonography and/or computerized tomography. Two patients were drained unsuccessfully under CT scan guidance and underwent splenectomy. The other patients were operated primarily. One patient developed a subphrenic abscess postoperatively. One patient died from intractable cardiac failure due to subacute endocarditis. The authors stress the role of CT scan in the diagnosis of splenic abscess and recommend early splenectomy in cases of failure of percutaneous drainage.