This study is based on the clinical analysis of 86 patients with liver abscess admitted to the Department of General Surgery, Wallace Memorial Baptist Hospital from January 1985 to December 1994.
@ES The results were as follows:
@EN 1) Etiologically 68 cases(79.0%) were pyogenic, 13 cases(15.1%) were amebic, 5 cases(5.9%) were mixed.
2) Peak age of incidence was the 5th decade(37.2%) and the male to female ratio was 1.4:1.
3) 57 cases(66.3%) of abscess were located in the right lobe, 21 cases(24.4%) in the left lobe and 8 cases(9.3%) in the both lobes.
4) Single abscess was encountered more than multiple abscesses in a ratio of 1.7:1.
5) The most common etiology was hepatobiliary tract disease(44.1%), followed by cryptogenic (27.9%).
6) The common symptoms and signs were abdominal pain(83.7%), tenderness(61.6%) and fever and chills(25.6%).
7) Leukocytosis was present in 66 cases(76.7%) and serum alkaline phosphatase was elevated in 37 cases(43.0%).
8) Abnormal chest X-ray findings were seen in 55 cases(64.0%), the most frequent being right diaphragmatic elevation(30.2%).
9) Bacteriologically we obtained 68.6% positive cultures. E. coli was the most frequently cultured organism(20.9%).
10) Op0erative drainage was performed in 43 cases9505), percutaneous aspiration drainage in 21 cases(24.4%), operative drainage and percutaneous aspiration drainage in 8 cases(9.3%).
11) Complications occurred in 23 cases and the most frequent complication was pulmonary complication(9.3).
12) The overall mortality rate was 10.4% and the most common cause of death was sepsis.
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