This patient had developed an intraabdominal abscess.
Any operation on the bowel may involve peritoneal contamination with fecal contents and fecal flora. This may not be appreciated at the time of the operation.
Over the postoperative period an inflammatory reaction ensued and an abscess cavity developed, filling with pus. Typically, the observation chart revealed a “swinging” pyrexia (fever).
The most common sites for abscess to develop are the pelvis and the hepatorenal recess.