Ultrasound-guided Percutaneous Catheter Drainage in Liver Abscesses

Abstract

Objectives: To study the outcome and effectiveness of ultrasound-guided percutaneous catheter drainage in liver abscess.

Materials and Methods: This prospective study was conducted from 2017 to 2018. A total of 33 patients with liver abscess were treated with this method. Ultrasound and CT abdomen were done after clinical assessment for the initial size and localization of the abscess cavity. The percutaneous drainage with a 12-Fr pigtail catheter was done with the “trocar and cannula” method. Then, the cavity size was assessed every 2 days by the ultrasound. After removal of the catheter, the patients were assessed with ultrasound at the 2^nd and 4^th weeks. Hospital stay, cavity size reduction, and outcomes were studied.

Results: The study showed that patients were mainly aged between 31 and 40 (21.2%). Most patients were males (78.8%). In this study, amoebic abscess patients started to gain a 50% reduction in abscess cavity size after drainage at 4–28 days (11.45 days±7.46) whereas pyogenic abscess patients started at 6–28 days (12 days±10.71). The amoebic liver abscess group showed 2–9 days of hospital stay (4.45 days±1.79). Patients with pyogenic abscess had 3-6 days of hospital stay (4.75 days±1.5). One patient experienced localized peritonitis (3.4%) and 1 patient encountered a blocked catheter (3.4%).

Conclusion: This study highlighted Myanmar's clinical data of liver abscess and the results and outcomes of the percutaneous catheter drainage method for liver abscess treatment. Although this was a small sample size study, this method showed rapid improvement and good clinical outcomes.