Angela’s Story: A deep ischiorectal abscess causing constant pain and fever without an obvious surface lump
A 58-year-old medical billing specialist with diabetes looking for an explanation for constant deep rectal pain, fever, difficulty sitting, urinary hesitation, and no visible external lump
Angela was a medical billing specialist with diabetes whose first explanation was constipation pressure.
The decision changed when fever and urinary hesitation progressed despite a normal-looking skin surface. The combination of constant deep rectal pain, fever, difficulty sitting, urinary hesitation, and no visible external lump required a more specific evaluation.
Severe systemic and deep-pressure symptoms prompted CT, which identified an ischiorectal collection. Urgent operative drainage confirmed the abscess.
The final plan used urgent surgical drainage, antibiotics for systemic illness and diabetes risk, glucose control, urinary monitoring, and fistula surveillance. Follow-up measured safety, symptom resolution, objective recovery, and the risk of recurrence.
No visible lump did not make the deep pain benign; imaging found the hidden collection.