Liver abscess secondary to fish bone penetration of the gastric wall: a case report.

An unusual case of liver abscess caused by fish bone perforation of the stomach is presented in this report. A 65-year-old woman was admitted to the Far Eastern Memorial Hospital for abdominal pain, fever and chills. Physical examination revealed anemia and tenderness in the epigastrium. Laboratory data showed leukocytosis and abnormal liver function. Computerized tomography of the abdomen disclosed a huge abscess in the left lobe of the liver. Exploratory laparotomy was performed and a fish bone, 3.7 cm in length, was found perforating the stomach with penetration into the left lobe of the liver, resulting in a hepatic abscess. Drainage of the liver abscess with removal of the fish bone and simple closure of the gastric perforation were performed. The patient recovered uneventfully.

Pharmacokinetics of mefloquine combined with artesunate in children with acute falciparum malaria.

Combining artemisinin or a derivative with mefloquine increases cure rates in falciparum malaria patients, reduces transmission, and may slow the development of resistance. The combination of artesunate, given for 3 days, and mefloquine is now the treatment of choice for uncomplicated multidrug-resistant falciparum malaria acquired on the western or eastern borders of Thailand. To optimize mefloquine administration in this combination, a prospective study of mefloquine pharmacokinetics was conducted with 120 children (4 to 15 years old) with acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria, who were divided into four age- and sex-matched groups. The patients all received artesunate (4 mg/kg of body weight/day orally for 3 days and mefloquine as either (i) a single dose (25 mg/kg) on day 2 with food, (ii) a split dose (15 mg/kg on day 2 and 10 mg/kg on day 3) with food, (iii) a single dose (25 mg/kg) on day 0 without food, or (iv) a single dose (25 mg/kg) on day 2 without food. Delaying administration of mefloquine until day 2 was associated with a mean (95% confidence interval) increase in estimated oral bioavailability of 72% (36 to 109%). On day 2 coadministration with food did not increase mefloquine absorption significantly, and there were no significant differences between patients receiving split- and single-dose administration. In combination with artesunate, mefloquine administration should be delayed until the second or third day after presentation.