Pyogenic liver abscess--report of 72 cases

Seventy-two patients with pyogenic liver abscess treated from Jan. 1986 through June 1988 were reviewed retrospectively. The average age was 55 years with a male to female ratio of 1.4:1. Most patients presented with the typical fever, chills and RUQ pain, but unusual signs and symptoms were also common. The right lobe was more commonly involved than left lobe. Biliary tract stone was the most frequent etiology (44.4%) and association with DM was common (37.5%). An elevated alkaline phosphatase and leukocytosis were useful clues to a liver abscess, but diagnosis depended on imaging of an abscess cavity either by echo or CT scan. The average time from onset of Symptoms to diagnosis was 9.3 days and a delay in diagnosis by the doctors was common. The most common complication was septicemia and factors with poor prognosis were old age (greater than or equal to 60 yrs), septicemia, cancer, peritonitis, and serum bilirubin greater than or equal to 5 mg/dl. The overall mortality was 29% with no difference between the group with surgical drains (28.5%) and the group with percutaneous transhepatic aspiration or drains (29.4%).