Successful Conservative Management of a Retroperitoneal Abscess With a Sinus to the Colon: A Case Report

Abstract

A sinus between the colon and a retroperitoneal abscess is a rare entity that usually occurs as a complication of a primary condition such as Crohn's disease, radiation enteritis, or diverticular disease. Herein, we report a 72-year-old woman with a retroperitoneal abscess and a sinus formation between the abscess and the colon after an iatrogenic injury to her left colon. The retroperitoneal abscess was detected 1 week after the patient had undergone a left nephroureterectomy for recurrent ureteral cancer. The patient's general performance status allowed conservative management with antibiotics and percutaneous drainage. The abscess resolved, and the sinus closed after 3 weeks of treatment. In the absence of surgical pathology in the colon, and if the patient's general condition is good enough to tolerate conservative management, treatment using antibiotics plus percutaneous drainage is effective for cases of retroperitoneal abscess with a sinus between the colon and abscess.