The clinical features and treatment of liver abscess formation after TACE for metastatic liver tumors / 介入放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the clinical features,related risk factors,the efficacy and safety of clinical management about liver abscess formation occurring after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for metastatic liver cancer.Methods Among 1812 patients with metastatic liver tumors who were receiving TACE,23 patients developed liver abscess.The clinical features and risk factors for abscess formation were retrospectively analyzed.The curative effects and safety of percutaneous puncture cavity drainage (PCD),or combined with percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and drainage (PTCD) were analyzed.Results The incidence of liver abscess after TACE for metastatic liver tumors was 1.3％ (23/1812).Postoperative high fever,chill,elevated white blood cell count and increased neutrophil proportion were the main clinical features of liver abscess.The mean time before the diagnosis of liver abscess was confirmed was (11.3±3.7) days after TACE.The hepatic metastatic malignancy originated from the malignant tumor of digestive tract was seen in 73.9％ of patients,18 patients (78.3％) had a history of gastroenteric surgery,and 12 patients (52.2％) had a history of diabetes mellitus.The number of hepatic metastatic lesions was more than 3 in 19 patients (82.6％).After the formation of liver abscess,the liver functions became worse in all patients (P=0.024).In 19 patients (82.6％),angiography showed that the metastases were hypovascular lesions.Blood and pus cultures revealed that E.coli was the main infectious bacteria of liver abscess.The mean time of using anti-infective drugs before hepatic abscess developed liquefaction was (10.4±3.3) days,and the mean time of abscess liquefaction was (15.9±3.7) days.The mean value of the maximum diameters of abscesses was (9.2±2.0) cm.PCD was employed in all patients,the average times of PCD procedure was (3.7±1.7) times.PCD followed by PTCD was performed in 7 patients as they had biloma associated with obstructive jaundice.The average drainage time for liver abscess was (3.1 ±1.7) months.No infectious peritonitis,tumor rupture,or tumor implantation at puncture point was observed.The median survival time of 23 patients with liver abscess was (8.0±0.7) months.The median survival time in patients who received PCD procedure only was (9.0±1.0) months,while it was (5.0±0.7) months in patients who received PCD together with PTCD,and statistically significant difference in the median survival time existed between the above two groups (P=0.041).Conclusion The risk factors of liver abscess formation after TACE in patients with metastatic liver tumors include the site of primary tumor and gastrointestinal surgery.Diabetes may be one of the risk factors.Clinically,the lesions of liver abscess are usually multiple and they often occur in hypovascular lesions with central necrosis,The nain infectious bacteria are from digestive tract,and biloma is easy to develop.Active and effective antibiotic treatment plus puncture drainage of abscess cavity,or combined with PTCD,are effective treatment measures for this kind of liver abscess.