RESUMEN
Objective: to analyze the various features of pyogenic liver abscess in poorly developed slum area of Karachi
Design and settings: a retrospective study done in hospitalized diagnosed cases of pyogenic liver abscess confirmed by ultrasonography in Jinnah Medical College, Hospital Korangi Karachi from January 2004 to December 2008
Methods: all patients diagnosed as pyogenic liver abscess were reviewed for demographic status, clinical features, hematological and biochemical analysis, size of abscess, cultures of pus, management and outcome. Ameobic liver abscesses were excluded. The data were analyzed on SPSS 11.5
Results: a total of 76 patients was diagnosed as pyogenic liver abscess having 76.6% male and 22.4% female patients with mean age of 52.1 yrs. The most common symptoms and signs were upper abdominal pain in 82.6%, fever in 75%, and right hypochondrium tenderness in 43.4%, hepatomegaly in 30% and jaundice in 18.4%. Leucocytosis [71%], raised alkaline phosphatase levels [63%], raised total bilirubin levels [60.5%], ALT levels [52.6%] and low hemoglobin values [42%] patients were common abnormal laboratory findings. Ultrasongraphy showed that right lobe of the liver was involved in 85.5% patients with 84.2% patients having single abscess. Klebsiella pneumoniae 35.7% was revealed as the common pathogen from the aspirated pus of the patients. Only 9 [11.8%] patients were referred for surgical intervention and followed up there. There was no mortality noticed in this study
Conclusion: patients with Pyogenic liver abscess can be managed with better outcome if diagnosed early with ultrasound, necessary intervention and appropriate therapy