Recurrent Primary Abdominal Wall Abscess: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Primary abdominal wall abscess is extremely rare and difficult to diagnose because abdominal wall abscesses usually occur secondary to malignant tumors or inflammatory diseases. We experienced a case of an 80-year-old man with an asynchronous primary abdominal wall abscess with recurrence. Both abscesses were successfully treated with surgical drainage. A patient without any history of cancer or trauma presented to our department with right upper abdominal pain. His laboratory data showed an abnormal high inflammatory response, and computed tomography revealed a 40 × 30 mm mass formed in the rectus abdominis muscle of the upper right abdomen. The mass had no continuity with the surgical scar after cholecystectomy or intra-abdominal organs. Citrobacter diversus was detected in the culture from the mass and any epithelial components were not detected by biopsy. For the diagnosis of primary abdominal wall abscess, the patient underwent surgical drainage because antibiotic treatment was ineffective. The abscess disappeared promptly after the drainage. Thirteen months after the first treatment, another primary abdominal wall abscess was noted in the lower right abdomen. The abscess also promptly disappeared with surgical drainage. Primary abdominal wall abscess is difficult to diagnose because of its rarity. Prompt diagnosis and drainage are important to prevent exacerbation.