Aspiration and air replacement in diagnosis and management of amebic liver abscess.

Abstract

CONSIDERABLE and treatment of amebiasis and its most important complications, hepatitis and liver abscess. For the delineation of an amebic abscess roentgenologic aids, such as hepatography with thorium dioxide, injection of iodized oil into the abscess cavity, and pneumoperitoneum, have for the most part fallen into disrepute. The injection of air into an amebic abscess cavity following aspiration, however, has a number of proponents, since it is an innocuous procedure and serves as an aid in diagnosis and in evaluating the efficacy of therapy. We feel that this procedure, which has not received sufficient recognition, is worthy of further clinical consideration. Its value is demonstrated in the following illustrative case. REPORT OF A CASE S. L., a 26-year-old airman, was admitted to the United States Air Force Hospital, Norton Air Force Base, Calif., on Oct. 15, 1951, with the complaints of fatigue, lassitude, nocturnal sweating, and recurrent chilliness of two