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Percutaneous Abscess and Fluid Drainage In Mumbai

Image-Guided Drainage of Abscesses and Fluid Collections Without Open Surgery

Percutaneous drainage is a minimally invasive interventional radiology procedure that uses ultrasound or CT image guidance to drain abscesses, fluid collections, cysts, haematomas, and bilomas from within the body through a small skin puncture, without the need for open surgery. At Shree Hospitals, our specialist interventional radiologists perform percutaneous drainage as a safe, rapid, and effective treatment for abdominal, pelvic, liver, lung, and post-operative fluid collections, resolving infection and relieving pressure while avoiding the risks of general anaesthesia and major surgery.

What is Percutaneous Abscess and Fluid Collection Drainage?

Percutaneous drainage is the image-guided insertion of a drainage catheter through the skin into an abscess, infected fluid collection, cyst, or haematoma to drain it externally. Using ultrasound or CT guidance, the interventional radiologist identifies the precise location and depth of the collection, plans the safest access route avoiding major blood vessels and organs, and then inserts a thin drainage catheter through a small skin incision directly into the collection. The infected fluid or pus drains through the catheter into an external bag. The catheter is secured in place and left until drainage is complete.

Percutaneous drainage is used for a wide variety of collections including abdominal and pelvic abscesses (post-operative, diverticular, appendiceal, Crohn's-related, gynaecological), liver abscesses (pyogenic and amoebic), splenic abscesses, retroperitoneal collections, pleural empyemas (infected fluid around the lung), lung abscesses, pancreatic pseudocysts and walled-off necrosis after pancreatitis, pericardial effusions, and post-traumatic haematomas. It can also be used for diagnostic aspiration - taking a small fluid sample for microbiological culture to identify the causative organism and guide antibiotic therapy.

At Shree Hospitals, percutaneous drainage is available 24 hours a day through our interventional radiology service as an urgent procedure for patients with septic collections. Our team uses real-time ultrasound guidance for superficial collections and CT guidance for deep or complex collections adjacent to bowel, vessels, or other critical structures. Drain management - flushing, repositioning, and removal - is performed by our interventional radiology nursing team in collaboration with the referring surgical or medical team.

When Should You Be Assessed for Percutaneous Drainage?

Percutaneous drainage is indicated when:

• CT or ultrasound has identified a fluid collection or abscess causing fever, pain, or sepsis
• A post-operative collection is causing wound complications, ileus, or systemic infection after abdominal or pelvic surgery
• Liver abscess (pyogenic or amoebic) is identified requiring drainage in addition to antibiotic therapy
• Pancreatic pseudocyst or walled-off necrosis after pancreatitis is causing symptoms or secondary infection
• Pleural empyema requires drainage in addition to antibiotics for infected pleural fluid

Is Percutaneous Drainage the Right Approach for Your Collection?

Percutaneous drainage is appropriate when:

• The collection is accessible by a safe needle path that avoids major vessels and bowel
• The fluid is thin enough to drain through a catheter (very thick or solid collections may require surgery)
• The patient is medically unfit for general anaesthesia or open surgical drainage
• A diagnostic sample of fluid is required for microbiological culture
• The collection is walled off sufficiently to allow safe catheter placement without risk of contaminating the peritoneum

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Our Approach to Percutaneous Drainage

At Shree Hospitals, percutaneous drainage is performed urgently when clinically indicated. Our interventional radiology team reviews imaging, plans the safest access route, and performs the procedure rapidly to relieve infection and sepsis. Close communication with the referring surgical and medical team ensures coordinated management of antibiotic therapy and drain care.

Rapid Image Review and Access Planning

Before every percutaneous drainage, our interventional radiologist reviews the most recent CT or ultrasound to characterise the collection - its size, location, composition (simple fluid vs complex septated vs gas-containing), and proximity to critical structures. The safest access route is planned, considering rib margins, lung pleura, bowel loops, major vessels, and solid organs. The imaging modality best suited for guidance (ultrasound vs CT) is selected.

Safe Image-Guided Catheter Placement

Under local anaesthesia (and conscious sedation where needed), the drainage catheter is inserted through the planned access route using real-time imaging guidance to confirm safe passage into the collection. Seldinger technique (wire-guided catheter insertion) is used to place a locking pigtail drainage catheter of appropriate size (typically 8 to 14 French) firmly within the collection. Position is confirmed before the catheter is secured to the skin and connected to a drainage bag.

Drain Management and Catheter Care

After placement, the drain is managed daily by our interventional radiology nursing team - flushing with saline to maintain patency, monitoring output volume and character, and adjusting drain position if needed. Fluid samples are sent for microbiological culture to identify the causative organism and guide antibiotic selection. The drain is removed when daily output is below 10 to 20 mls and follow-up imaging confirms the collection has resolved.

Interventional Radiology Services at Shree Hospitals

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