PELVIC ABSCESS IN THE MALE

Retroperitoneal pelvic abscess in the male is apparently a rare and certainly a very unusual condition. A review of the literature shows that there are only eleven cases thus far recorded, my patient making a total of twelve. From a discussion of the subject with some of my colleagues I am inclined to think that pelvic abscess in the male occurs more frequently than we now believe but often passes undiagnosed. Cases terminating fatally and those recovering but in which the lesion was obscure are not reported. We are here not considering pelvic abscess complicating such diseases as appendicitis, cystitis, prostatitis, seminal vesiculitis and so forth, but only that which occurs as an isolated or metastatic retroperitoneal infection not related to an abdominal lesion. In most of the reported cases of pelvic abscess in the male there was great difficulty in establishing an exact diagnosis because of the indefiniteness of