A Primary Abscess In the Rectus Abdominis Muscle: A Case Report

• Published in: Nihon Fukubu Kyukyu Igakkai Zasshi (Journal of Abdominal Emergency Medicine) Vol. 39; no. 5; pp. 863 - 866
• Main Authors: Shinohara, Shoichi, Hyodo, Masanobu, Ota, Gaku, Hayashi, Hirohumi, Sato, Hirotake, Tsukahara, Munetoshi, Yasuda, Yoshikazu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Japanese Society for Abdominal Emergency Medicine 31.07.2019
• Subjects: Staphylococcus aureus
• ISSN: 1340-2242; 1882-4781
• DOI: 10.11231/jaem.39.863

An abscess of the rectus abdominis muscle is usually caused by a surgical site infection or is secondary to an intra-abdominal inflammatory process, but a primary abscess of the rectus abdominis muscle is uncommon. We present herein on a patient with a primary abscess of the rectus abdominis muscle. A 20-year old Indonesian man presented with fever (38.4℃) and left lower quadrant pain. He had no history of previous surgery, abdominal trauma or an immunocompromised state. An abscess of the left rectal abdominis muscle was found on computed tomography scan and ultrasonography imaging. He was diagnosed as having a primary abscess of the left rectus abdominis muscle. We performed emergency drainage of the abscess under local anesthesia which yielded a small amount of pus. We treated the patient with oral antibiotics as an outpatient. Two days after drainage, the abscess was found to have enlarged on a repeat computed tomography scan. We performed an additional drainage procedure under general anesthesia, which yielded about 30 mL of pus, and a drain was placed in the cavity. Staphylococcus aureus was cultured from the drainage. Five days after the second procedure, he was discharged without postoperative complications.