Final answer:
A subphrenic abscess presents with fever, abdominal pain, and tenderness, and is diagnosed with labs showing elevated WBCs and imaging tests. Treatment includes antibiotics and possibly surgical drainage.
Step-by-step explanation:
Subphrenic Abscess: Clinical Presentation and Laboratory Workup:
Subphrenic abscesses are infections occurring beneath the diaphragm. They can present with a range of signs and symptoms (S&Sx), typically evolving over days to weeks. These usually include fever, abdominal pain, tenderness, and chills. The timeline for development varies, depending on the underlying cause and the patient's immune response.
Laboratory tests are critical for diagnosis and typically include a complete blood count (CBC) showing elevated white blood cells (WBCs), inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and cultures from blood or aspirates of the abscess when possible. A subphrenic abscess can occur after abdominal surgery, trauma, or secondary to infections from adjacent organs.