[Use of the percutaneous drainage in the treatment of patients with hepatic abscesses].

Abstract

The aim of this study was to review our results in managing liver abscess with the use of sonographically-guided percutaneous drainage.
There were 24 patients (including 12 male and 12 female patients) with liver abscesses treated from 1993 to 2009 in our department. Mean age in the male group amounted to 52 (17-70), while in the female group - 60 (46-72). The group of 22 patients (91,6%) were treated with the use of percutaneously inserted "pigtail drain".
The group of 22 patients (11 male and 11 female patients) was treated with the use of percutaneous sonographically-guided drainage. Eschericha coli constituted the most common etiological factor isolated from the purulent content. An average drainage time amounted to 9,5 days. Percutaneous drainage proved ineffective only in 4 patients (2 male and 2 female). In 2 of those cases failure was due to recurrent obstruction of the catheter and in remaining 2--due to migration of the drain outside the abscess. 2 of those patients were treated successfully with another sonographically-guided drainage, while 2 patients required open surgical operation.
Percutaneous sonographically-guided drainage together with antimicrobial therapy constitutes valuable method of choice in the management of liver abscess. The technique has small morbidity and complication ratio allowing avoidance of more invasive surgical interventions.