(08-21-2019, 10:28 AM)classicdrogn Wrote: Wait, what's Radiology got to do with it? Were they planning to (more or less literally but with something that actually penetrates instead of microwaves) kill the hostile microorganisms in the abscess by nuking it rather than physically opening it up, or something? Also, much shock, best wishes, etc. Sorry to be late on that, I installed Star Trek Online a few days ago and hadn't done anything online since until deciding it was time for a mental health break yesterday.
Figure out if they can access the appendix without having to go through other organs or otherwise damage them. Apparently, they can't, which implies they'd have to go through the intestinal tract. That's to be expected given the general location of the appendix.
The main reason you'd try to drain the abscess is to limit the size of the infection by draining debris and free floating live bacteria. If they have to go through his intestines just to get at the appendix they'd just make things worse because those wounds would also be very likely to cause nasty infections. Which is why they're not going to do that and just double down on the antibiotics. Those things work, it's just going to suck worse, and take longer for the infection to get eradicated than if they'd been able to drain it.