Absceso hepático piógeno: experiencia en 50 casos / Pyogenic liver abscess: experience in 50 cases

ABSTRACT

During the last years the diagnosis and treatment of pyogenic liver abscess has changed substantially. The aim of this work is to report a retrospective analysis of 50 patients aged 24 to 87 years old, that presented with a pyogenic liver abscess and were treated in the last 13 years. The sensitivity for diagnosis of ultrasound examination, CAT scan and angiography was 68, 89 and 75 percent respectively. The origin of the abscess was detected at the biliary tree in 46 percent and remained unknown in 38 percent. 31 patients were operated, 13 were subjected to percutneous drainage and 5 were treated only with antimicrobials. 40 percent of patients had a septic complication and 4 (8 percent) died. Mean hospital stay was 31 days for operated patients and 21 for the rest. The abscess recurred in 7 patients and 2 of these had a gallbladder carcinoma. It is concluded that percutaneous g=drainage is an alternative to surgical treatment that must be accompanied by a careful diagnosis workup