Pyogenic Liver Abscess: a Study of 18 Patients

Eighteen patients with pyogenic liver abscess were treated at Hiroshima University Hospital, First Department of Surgery and Hiroshima Memorial Hospital between 1979 and August 1984. The most frequent cause of the disease was infection of the biliary tract, accounting for 44%. The most useful diagnostic methods were echography and CT. The use of these, two techniques enabled us to establish diagnosis in almost all the patients. Sufficient drainage of the biliary tract was important in cases of hepatic abscess via the biliary tract. In other causes of hepatic abscess, drainage under echographic guidance was useful in treatment for solitary liver abscess. In cases of multiple liver abscess, it was also considered necessary to puncture the abscess under echographic guidance, to detect the causative organisms, and to use effective antibiotics against that organisms