Published online Sep 16, 2014. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v2.i9.459
Revised: July 10, 2014
Accepted: July 18, 2014
Published online: September 16, 2014
Processing time: 151 Days and 1.6 Hours
Iliopsoas abscess (IPA) is an uncommon infection. The clinical presentation is usually insidious. Most patients present with nonspecific symptoms, leading to difficulty in prompt and accurate diagnosis. Delay in diagnosis can lead to complications, such as sepsis and death. Tattooing has become more popular over the recent years and has been associated with tattooing-related and blood-borne infections. We present two related cases of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus IPA after tattooing and review the epidemiology, etiology, clinical features, and management of IPA.
Core tip: Iliopsoas abscess (IPA), a collection of pus in the iliopsoas compartment, is classified as primary or secondary depending on the source of infection. While immunocompromise and intravenous drug abuse are the most common known risk factors for primary IPA, tattooing may represent a novel risk factor as well. We present two related cases of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus IPA after tattooing and review the epidemiology, etiology, clinical features, and management of IPA. Maintaining a high clinical suspicion for this condition in patients with risk factors is important for prompt and accurate diagnosis and prevention of complications, such as sepsis and death.