Splenic abscesses

Abstract

Splenic abscesses are rare entities (autopsy incidence between 0.14-0.7%). The most frequent etiology is the septic emboli seeding from bacterial endocarditis (about 20% of cases) or other septic foci (typhoid fever, malaria, urinary tract infections, osteomielitis, otitis). The treatment of splenic abscesses was until recently splenectomy with antibio-therapy. The actual trends are more conservative (mini invasive or non-invasive) because the immunologic role of the spleen has been better understood over the last years.