Pediatric Abscess Drainage

Your child's interventional radiologist at Children's National Hospital will use ultrasound or a CT scan to locate the abscess and decide where to insert the needle. After numbing the skin, a needle will be inserted into the abscess and the fluid will be drawn out. The fluid will be sent to a laboratory to find out which bacteria caused the infection. 

Depending on the location and size of the abscess and the type of fluid obtained in the collection, a small soft catheter (tube) will be placed to allow the area to continue to drain for next few days.

If the abscess is deep in the pelvis, sometimes the best route for the interventional radiologist is to place a drainage catheter through the rectum. This is called trans-rectal abscess drainage.

Your child's interventional radiologist will use IV sedation or general anesthesia. We will also use local numbing medicine.

Children may feel pain or discomfort in the area of the abscess. If your child goes home with the drain, you may give them over- the-counter pain medicine.

The procedure usually takes one hour. It may take a little longer depending on where the abscess is in your child’s body or if there is more than one. 

The procedure is considered low risk. However, potential complications include:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Injury to adjacent organs, especially the colon/intestines or bladder if the abscess is in the abdomen

If your child doesn't have a drainage catheter, the bandage must stay dry and in place for 48 hours. Then, you may remove the bandage and your child may shower or bathe as usual.

If your child has a drainage catheter, the bandage will remain in place. In addition, the catheter will be secured with a locking device (Statlock^©) which must not be removed. Please sponge bathe around the bandage. Your child may resume showers or baths 48 hours after the catheter is removed.

The catheter will be in place for as long as it takes most of the fluid to drain; usually this is several days. The catheter is usually removed at the child's bedside (for inpatients) or in the Interventional Radiology Suite (for outpatients). This is quick and easy: the stitch is cut, the catheter is removed and a small bandage is placed over the site.