A Clinical Study on Pyogenic Liver Abscess

Abstract

Pyogenic liver abscess is an uncommon complication of intra-abdominal or biliary tract infection and is usually a polymicrobial infection associated with high mortality and high rates of relapse in western countries. However, over the past five and a half years, in the newly founded Taching Hospital, we have treated ninety-four patients (male-to-female ratio 1.4:1) with pyogenic liver abscesses. The abscesses were confirmed in all 94 patients by needle aspiration or operation. Eight patients (8.5%) died. Its clinical symptoms are, fever (90.4%), chills (84%), and right quadrant pain (54.2%). The majority of these abscesses are solitary (77.6%) and mostly found in the right lobe (82.9%). The major underlying predisposing causes for these abscesses are diabetes mellitus (D.M.)(36.2%), biliary tract stones (26.6%), cryptogenic abscess (18.1%), and cancer (9.5%). Bacteremia is the most common complication (52.9%). The most common I aboratory findings are leukocytosis (92%) and elevated alkaline phosphatase level (85%). Gram negative bacilli were the most common bacteria encountered (87.7%). The positive culture rates for anaerobes was 5.5%.The most commonly used therapeutic measure was Pyogenic liver abscess is an uncommon complication of intra-abdominal or biliary tract infection and is usually a polymicrobial infection associated with high mortality and high rates of relapse in western countries. However, over the past five and a half years, in the newly founded Taching Hospital, we have treated ninety-four patients (male-to-female ratio 1.4:1) with pyogenic liver abscesses. The abscesses were confirmed in all 94 patients by needle aspiration or operation. Eight patients (8.5%) died. aspiration or continuous percutaneous transhepatic drainage. Three patients underwent surgical intervention.