Successful Conservative Management of a Large Splenic Abscess Secondary to Infective Endocarditis.

Abstract

The spleen is the most common abdominal site for systemic septic emboli that often complicate infective endocarditis. Management of an embolic splenic abscess usually involves surgical splenectomy or image-guided drainage, but the natural history of splenic abscess without drainage is unknown. We describe the successful conservative treatment of a large complex splenic abscess with antibiotics alone in a patient with aortic valve infective endocarditis who required an emergent valve replacement surgical procedure. Previous complex abdominal wall operation with the presence of a synthetic mesh made abdominal surgical intervention unfavorable. The splenic abscess resolved completely with no recurrence of infection at the 3-year follow-up.