Transperitioneal drainage in liver abscesses

ABSTRACT

The clinical features and surgical management of 64 consecutive cases of liver abscess admitted over a period of 18 months were reviewed and form the basis of this retrospective study. The incidence of liver abscess was 0.358% of all hospital admissions. Ages varied from one to 72 with a mean age of 38.8 years +/- standard deviation 13.36 [S.D.] There were 53 [83%] single lobe abscesses in the right lobe, 4 [6%] in the left lobe and present bilaterally in 7 cases [11%]. Fever was the commonest symptom, present in 57 cases [89%], pain in 50 [78%] cases and leucocytosis in 47 [73%] patients. Eleven patients [17%] responded to antimicrobial therapy and were excluded. All the other 53 patients [82%] underwent transperitoneal drainage. Ultrasound scan was successfully used in confirming the diagnosis. There were no deaths and 6 patients [11.7%] developed wound infection. Eight [15.6%] patients had controlled biliary fistulae, one of whom had a prolonged stay