Pyogenic psoas abscess: six cases and review of the literature

PURPOSE: Psoas abscess is a rare disease in developed countries. Its diagnosis is difficult and any delay could lead to a worsen prognosis. The aim of this study is to determine the best diagnostic and therapeutic practices. METHODS: A retrospective study of psoas abscess that occurred during six months was performed. RESULTS: Six cases of secondary psoas abscess are reported. They were associated with spondylodiscitis in three cases, arthritis and gynaecologic infection in the three remaining cases. Anatomic diagnosis was performed by tomodensitometry. Microbiologic diagnosis was obtained by blood culture or direct puncture of the abscess. Antibiotics were associated with percutaneous drainage in two cases, with simple puncture in one case, and with surgery in one case. A local improvement w observed in all cases. The oldest patients presented the worst complications which were not directly caused by the abscess. CONCLUSION: Physicians must be aware of psoas abscess because of their increasing incidence. Despite the fact that digestive pathologies are the main cause of secondary psoas abscess, bone infections, particularly spine infections, should be taken into consideration. Tomodensitometry guided puncture or percutaneous drainage are of diagnostic and therapeutic interest. Infectious samples must be taken before starting antibiotics, which have to be efficient against Gram negative bacillus, anaerobes and Staphylococcus aureus. Surgery must be quickly performed when the primary infection localisation need it, in case of voluminous abscess or when antibiotics and drainage are inefficient.     

Ultrasonographic features of amoebic abscess: Study in 59 patients

Sonographic examination was carried out in 59 patients with a clinical diagnosis of amoebic liver abscess during the previous 4 years (January 1982 to December 1985). The amoebic liver abscess was located in the right lobe in 45 patients, in the left lobe in eight patients, and in both lobes in six patients. The ultrasonic diagnosis was confirmed in the majority of patients by the indirect haemaglutination test (titres 1:512 or greater) coupled with excellent response to metronidazole, or by ultrasonic-guided percutaneous aspiration producing anchovy sauce pus.
The sonographic patterns of the abscess were evaluated. All patients had well-defined hypoechoic lesions near the surface, which demonstrated fine homogeneous low-level echoes throughout at a normal and a high-gain setting, without a peripheral echo-free halo. The configuration of the abscess was round, oval or lobulated. The walls were irregular in 53 patients, and showed a slight distal sonic enhancement. This ultrasonic feature is suggestive of amoebic liver abscess. The specific ultrasonographic features of amoebic liver abscess, combined with a feature of pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, or an abdominal abscess, were suggestive of the complications of liver abscess found in 19 patients.
It is concluded that ultrasonography is a valuable aid in the diagnosis of amoebic liver abscess. It is of value not only for detection, but also for determination of the site, depth, size, and location of the complicating rupture of the abscess.     

Percutaneous catheter drainage in drug-resistant amoebic liver abscess

This communication records our experience with the percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) of 22 amoebic liver abscesses in 19 patients who had failed to respond to amoebicidal therapy. In one patient with a left lobe abscess, imminent rupture was an additional indication for drainage. PCD combined with amoebicidal therapy not only expedited recovery, but was curative in all 19 patients. There were no complications. We conclude that PCD is a most useful adjunct to drug therapy and recommend its routine use in the management of drug-resistant amoebic liver abscesses.     

Endoscopic transpapillary abscess drainage for a patient with giant pyogenic liver abscess

The primary modalities for management of liver abscesses are usually antibiotics and percutaneous drainage. However, in patients with ascites or bleeding tendency, the percutaneous puncture of liver abscesses may be unsuitable. We applied a new approach, nasobiliary tube drainage, for a giant pyogenic liver abscess following diagnostic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Pyogenic liver abscess is often biliary in origin, and this new approach includes assessment of biliary abnormality for the management of the abscess, enabling treatment of parients in whom puncture of the abscess is considered dangerous because of massive ascites around the liver. We propose that this procedure is useful in the management of a subgroup of patients with pyogenic liver abscess. To our knowledge, no previous reports of endoscopic transpapillary abscess drainage in pyogenic liver abscess are available.     

Hepatectomy for pyogenic liver abscess

BackgroundCommensurate with the advances in diagnostic and therapeutic radiology in the past two decades, percutaneous needle aspiration and catheter drainage have replaced open operation as the first choice of treatment for both single and multiple pyogenic liver abscesses. There has been little written on the place of surgical resection in the treatment of pyogenic liver abscess due to underlying hepatobiliary pathology or after failure of non-operative management.MethodsThe medical records of patients who underwent resection for pyogenic liver abscess over a 15-year period were retrospectively reviewed. The demographics, time from onset of symptoms to medical treatment and operation, site of abscess, organisms cultured, aetiology, reason for operation, type of resection and outcome were analysed. There were 49 patients in whom the abscesses were either single (19), single but multiloculated (11) or multiple (19). The median time from onset of symptoms to medical treatment was 21 days and from treatment to operation was 12 days. The indications for operation were underlying hepatobiliary pathology in 20% and failed non-operative treatment in 76%. Two patients presented with peritonitis from a ruptured abscess.ResultsThe resections performed were anatomic (44) and non-anatomic (5). No patient suffered a recurrent abscess or required surgical or radiological intervention for any abdominal collection. Antibiotics were ceased within 5 days of operation in all but one patient. The median postoperative stay was 10 days. There were two deaths (4%), both following rupture of the abscess.DiscussionExcept for an initial presentation with intraperitoneal rupture and, possibly, cases of hepatobiliary pathology causing multiple abscesses above an obstructed duct system that cannot be negotiated non-operatively, primary surgical treatment of pyogenic liver abscess is not indicated. Non-operative management with antibiotics and percutaneous aspiration/drainage will be successful in most patients. If non-operative treatment fails, different physical characteristics of the abscesses are likely to be present and partial hepatectomy of the involved portion of liver is good treatment when performed by an experienced surgeon.     

The prognostic factors of severe amebic liver abscess: a retrospective study of 125 cases.

One hundred twenty-five cases of amebic liver abscess were diagnosed at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan from January 1981 to December 1989. An analysis of possible prognostic factors for severe amebic liver abscess was done retrospectively. The majority of the patients came from the southern part of Taiwan. Severe amebic liver abscess was defined as the rupture of an abscess that was resistant to 72 hr of medical treatment, or complicated by secondary bacterial infection. The results showed significant differences between patients with severe liver abscess and those with more moderate forms of amebic liver abscess in indices such as jaundice, hemoglobin and serum bilirubin levels, and dyspnea, as well as in pulmonary changes (right diaphragm elevation, right pleural effusion) seen on chest radiographs. Those patients with diabetes mellitus also had greater evidence of severe liver abscess. Moderate cases that were treated with amebicides showed excellent responses (no mortality). Severe cases required, in addition to amebicide therapy, either percutaneous or surgical drainage of pus, especially in those patients with ruptured abscesses. Those patients with abscesses that ruptured into the thoracic cavity were treated by either thoracostomy or needle aspiration, and all were cured. Three patients died of abscess rupture into the abdominal cavity, associated with secondary bacterial infection. The overall mortality rate was 2.4%. These symptoms and signs of severe liver abscess are indicators of the need for intensive treatment such as aspiration or surgical drainage.     

Non-operative management of pyogenic liver abscess

BackgroundLiver abscess is a serious disease traditionally managed by open drainage. The advances in interventional radiology over the last two decades have allowed a change in approach to this condition. We have reviewed our experience in managing liver abscess over the last 7 years.MethodsDetails of all patients admitted with liver abscess between 1995 and 2002 were prospectively entered onto our database. A review was performed to document the use of imaging and drainage techniques. Aetiology, morbidity, mortality and duration of hospital stay were recorded.ResultsForty-two patients (median age 53 [22–85] years; M:F 18:24) were admitted with liver abscess (multiple abscess 20); 19 cases were of portal tract origin, 16 cases were of biliary tract origin and 7 cases were spontaneous. Forty-one patients were managed non-operatively, all received antibiotics (cephalo-sporins 76%, metronidazole 88%, quinolones 33%). Diagnosis was made on ultrasound scan (22) or CT (20). Five patients were managed with antibiotics alone. Fifteen patients were managed initially with percutaneous aspiration and five subsequently required percutaneous drainage. Twenty-one patients had primary percutaneous drainage, nine requiring a further procedure (aspiration 3, drainage 6). One patient underwent hepatic resection. Median hospital stay was 16 (6–35) days. There was one death, but no procedure-related morbidity.DiscussionNon-operative management of solitary and multiple liver abscesses is safe and effective.     

Amebic Liver Abscess: A Study of 11 Cases Compared with a Series of 38 Patients with Pyogenic Liver Abscess

Amebic liver abscess is an uncommon disease in the northern states of North America with 11 cases seen among approximately 500,000 Mount Sinai Hospital admissions over a 16-year period. Five of 11 cases originated in, or had recently visited South America. In three of these, and two patients with concomitant intestinal amebiasis, the diagnosis was suspected on admission. Diagnosis after admission was rapid, mean 5 days, compared with a mean of 13 days in pyogenic liver abscess. There was a higher incidence of male patients, nine males versus two females which was greater than the excess found in our pyogenic abscesses, 22 versus 16. Multiplicity was less common than in pyogenic abscess, 27 versus 50%, respectively. All three patients with multiple abscesses survived with surgical drainage and antibiotic therapy despite numerous complicating factors, including secondary bacterial infection. One patient resolved with drug treatment only; all others were treated with drugs and concomitant drainage; surgical drainage in earlier cases, and percutaneous drainage more recently. There was a single postoperative death. Drug treatment is the first therapeutic modality, and if recovery is delayed more than 2 days percutaneous aspiration should be carried out. This was successful in four cases. Surgery should seldom be required with present methods of accurately localizing amebic liver abscess, but is essential for ruptured abscess with peritonitis, and liver abscess with associated intestinal problems such as toxic megacolon, colonic perforation, or fulminating colitis. There has been a significant reduction in mortality of amebic liver abscess over the past 50 years and particularly within the past decade.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Irrigation of liver abscess: proposal of a novel method and possible indications.

We present here two suggestive cases in considering the advantages and disadvantages of irrigation of pyogenic liver abscess: one patient developed an intrahepatic hematoma as an unusual sequela, while the other was successfully treated by abscess irrigation, overcoming failure of percutaneous catheter drainage and the patient's seriously ill condition. Based on these cases, we propose a novel method of liver abscess irrigation via percutaneous drainage tubes with the following three characteristics: 1) use of a drip infusion apparatus for irrigant instillation and drainage in order to avoid elevation of pressure in the abscess, a source of potential life-threatening sequelae, 2) addition of contrast medium to irrigant, and 3) employment of computed tomography in dynamic equilibrium of irrigant in order to evaluate the efficacy of current irrigation. Of interest was the parenchymal enhancement around the irrigated liver abscess revealed by computed tomography with this method, which suggested that dissemination of abscess contents may be inevitable with irrigation. Although the indications for liver abscess irrigation must be considered carefully given the critical sequelae potentially associated with it, the method we present can be used as a second-line trial exclusively for liver abscesses refractory to first-line treatment with percutaneous catheter drainage or needle aspiration, since it can be used not only as a therapeutic procedure with mechanical washing or dilution of abscess contents but also as a diagnostic aid enabling more effective subsequent treatment by defining the areas in which drainage and irrigation is not effective.     

Cholestasis in amoebic liver abscess.

Two hundred and thirty six patients with amoebic liver abscess were investigated for cholestasis, its mechanism and the natural course of the disease. Cholestasis was seen in 29% of cases and it presented with some unusual features: it was frequently seen in young men (mean age 38.6 +/- 6.3 years) (87%) with acute onset (69%) and was associated with signs of peritonism, or peritonitis (28%), splenomegaly (12%) and hepatic encephalopathy (coma 13%). Raised diaphragm was seen only in 37% of cases. Alcoholism may have contributed to the cholestasis in 37% of cases. Multiple (43%) and single (32%) large liver abscesses, especially on the inferior surface of the liver (25%), were common in jaundiced patients with amoebic liver abscess, while size and number of abscesses were directly related to the raised serum bilirubin concentrations. Bromsulphalein excretion (BSP) was found to be significantly reduced (p less than 0.01) in patients with jaundice (60%). Retrograde injection of contrast media into the common bile duct during six necropsies showed compression by amoebic liver abscess on the hepatic ducts. The mortality (43%) and the complications were significantly higher (p less than 0.001) in patients with jaundice. The aspiration/surgical drainage of amoebic liver abscess together with a combination of metronidazole and di-iodohydroxyquinoline was more effective than either metronidazole alone, or dehydroemetine with chloroquine.     

Liver Abscess as a Complication of Regional Enteritis: Interventional Considerations

Although intra-abdominal abscesses are relatively frequent in the setting of regional enteritis, liver abscesses are rare. Pylephlebitis, steroid administration, and biliary fistulization have been suggested as inciting factors. This report describes the first attempted percutaneous drainage of a liver abscess which was a complication of regional enteritis. The percutaneous drainage proved inadequate therapy due to significant disease outside the liver involving the bowel. A review of all cases reported to date in the literature suggests that although percutaneous drainage might prove to be a satisfactory temporizing measure, all patients will require surgical exploration for definitive therapy.     

Maladie de Crohn compliquée d’abcès intra-abdominaux : stratégie diagnostique et thérapeutique

Introduction

Intra abdominal abscess in Crohn??s disease is a rare complication. Its management presents diagnostic and therapeutic problems.

Aim of the study

To evaluate our management of patients with intra abdominal abscess as a complication of Crohn??s disease and propose a diagnostic and therapeutic strategy.

Method

Retrospective study of 32 cases of Crohn??s disease complicated by intra abdominal abscess were admitted to our department between 1995 and 2007.

Results

The study examined 10 men (32%) and 22 women (68%), the average age was 31 ± 9.91 years. The abscess inaugurated Crohn??s disease in 10 cases (32%), in the other cases (68%) the diagnosis of Crohn??s disease had already been made. The Crohn??s disease was ileocecal in 31 cases (98%), and colic in one case. The clinical presentation was not specific, local abdominal guarding was found in only one patient (3%). A high level of leucocytes was found in 81% of the cases and a high level of C-reactive protein in all cases (100%). Twenty patients in the study were explored by abdominal ultra sound (62%) which sensibility was about 55% for the abscess diagnosis. An abdominal scan was made on 29 patients (71%) for the abscess diagnosis; the average size of the abscess was about 5.2 cm. The abscess was treated by antibiotherapy In 15 cases (47%) with success in 80% of the cases and in 17 cases (53%) by a radiological percutaneous drainage with success in 89% of the cases. The percutaneous drainage was removed after a mean of 22 ± 16 days. Colonoscopy and barium meal showed an associated intestinal stenosis in 31 cases inducing an intestinal resection. In one case, the stenosis was small and the patient was not operated after the treatment of the abscess; the evolution showed a recidivate abscess after one year. The surgical procedure consisted in: an ileocecal resection in 31 cases, by a laparoscopic approach in 7 cases and in one case a total colectomy with an ileo-rectal anastomosis was performed. Surgical complications occurred in 6 cases (18%)

Conclusion

When an intra abdominal abscess is suspected for patients with Crohn??s disease, the diagnosis approach must be based directly on the abdominal CT scan. The therapeutic approach must be based on a percutaneous drainage first, followed by a resection in the presence of a persistent fistula or intestinal stenosis. This resection could be done by laparoscopic surgery when possible.     

Pyogenic liver abscess: is drainage always possible?

The treatment of pyogenic liver abscess generally involves antibiotic therapy and radiological percutaneous drainage or aspiration. Surgical drainage is rarely advisable. We report a case of multiloculated liver abscess that was not suitable for either percutaneous drainage or open surgical drainage. The only successful approach was a left hepatectomy.     

超声引导下穿刺置管治疗肝脓肿的临床效果回顾分析

目的 回顾分析介入置管引流治疗肝脓肿的效果及注意事项。 方法 以我院超声科自 2015 年 9 月至2019 年 9 月采用经皮穿刺置管治疗肝脓肿 49 例为研究对象,脓腔均经穿刺置管引流、并行脓腔冲洗、注药治疗、并根据药敏试验进行抗感染治疗。 结果 本研究 49 例患者均穿刺成功。 术后白细胞和中性粒细胞百分比均较术前明显减低(P 均<0. 05)。 术后及出院时 49 例患者脓肿直径明显小于术前,差异均有统计学意义( P均<0. 05);术后 25例患者体温 3 d 内恢复正常,16 例患者体温 3~ 7 d 内恢复正常,8 例患者体温超过 7 d 恢复正常。 患者均能较好耐受穿刺置管治疗,置管引流时间为 3~ 28 d,平均 13. 5 d,术中及术后未出现胆漏、感染及气胸等并发症,且均无复发迹象。 结论 超声引导下经皮穿刺置管引流治疗肝脓肿已逐渐取代大剂量药物治疗或手术治疗,且临床疗效可靠、并发症少,在临床治疗肝脓肿方法中优势明显。     

Medical vs surgical management of spinal epidural abscess

BACKGROUND: We compared the clinical features and outcomes of patients with spinal epidural abscess treated with prolonged parenteral antibiotics alone or combined with computed tomography-guided percutaneous needle aspiration drainage with those of patients undergoing surgical decompression. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 57 cases of spinal epidural abscess treated at an academic teaching hospital during a 14-year period. RESULTS: The lumbar region was most frequently involved, and 46% of patients were immunocompromised. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently encountered pathogen. For 60 treatment courses, management included medical only (25 patients), medical plus computed tomography-guided percutaneous needle aspiration (7 patients), or surgical drainage approaches (28 patients). Prolonged use of parenteral antibiotics alone or combined with percutaneous needle drainage yielded clinical outcomes at least comparable with antibiotics plus surgical intervention, irrespective of patient age, presence of comorbid illness, disease onset, neurologic abnormality at time of presentation, or abscess size. CONCLUSION: Patients with spinal epidural abscess can be safely and effectively treated with conservative medical treatment without the need for surgery.     

Unruptured amoebic liver abscess presenting as acute abdomen

Unruptured amoebic liver abscess is usually not regarded as a surgical emergency. At University College Hospital, Ibadan, in a two-year period from June 1975 to May 1977, six cases of unruptured amoebic liver abscess underwent emergency exploratory laparotomy because they presented as cases of acute abdomen. The initial diagnoses made by senior physicians included perforated duodenal ulcer, intestinal obstruction, cholecystitis and appendicitis. All patients had persistent draining sinuses after surgery for periods ranging from one to five months. Neither the trophozoites nor the cystic forms of Entamoeba histolytica were present in the "abscess" which was essentially necrotic liver tissue. The diagnosis of amoebic liver abscess was based on clinical features: typical "anchovy" or chocolate-coloured aspirate from the liver, response to anti-amoebic therapy and serological studies.     

Amoebiasis: a rare cause of cardiac tamponade.

Cardiac tamponade secondary to perforation of a hepatic amoebic abscess developed six years after the patient had visited an area where Entamoeba histolytica is endemic. He was treated with metronidazole and imipenem, emergency percutaneous catheter drainage, and open surgical drainage.     

深静脉导管穿刺引流治疗细菌性肝脓肿的临床分析

目的探讨B超定位下应用深静脉导管穿刺引流治疗细菌性肝脓肿的临床疗效。方法选取我院2000—2007年收治的细菌性肝脓肿患者30例,治疗组17例应用深静脉导管行脓腔内置管冲洗引流,对照组13例应用深静脉穿刺针行脓肿穿刺抽吸治疗。比较两组患者的住院时间、住院费用及治疗效果等。结果治疗组在住院时间、住院费用及治疗效果等方面与对照组比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论B超定位下应用深静脉导管行肝脓肿穿刺引流结合术后脓腔冲洗,是临床治疗细菌性肝脓肿的一种较好方法。     

2 Imaging and intervention in patients with acute right upper quadrant disease

Because of the high diagnostic yield, its widespread availability and the possibility of bedside examinations, US has become the imaging modality of choice in patients with acute right upper quadrant pain caused by inflammatory disorders such as liver abscesses, acute cholangitis and acute cholecystitis. Computed tomography (CT) can be reserved for more complex cases. US, often in combination with fluoroscopy, is also widely used to control interventions. In patients with liver abscesses the therapeutic strategy is determined by the size of the abscess, its uni- or multifocal presentation and the causative micro-organisms cultured after diagnostic percutaneous aspiration. Small-sized pyogenic abscesses (<3 cm), most fungal and amoebic abscesses can be treated medically. Large-sized pyogenic abscesses should be drained percutaneously and can be cured in 75–90%. Surgery should be restricted to patients with prolonged sepsis after percutaneous drainage and patients with infected pre-existing hepatic lesions.In patients with acute cholangitis drainage of the infected bile is essential. Invasive imaging such as percutaneous or endoscopic cholangiography should only be done with the intention to drain. The use of endoscopic procedures such as nasobiliary drainage, stent placement and sphincterotomy has decreased mortality rates dramatically. Percutaneous drainage should be considered in patients in whom endoscopic procedures fail. Surgery may have a place in the treatment of bile duct obstruction which causes cholangitis.In patients with suspected acute cholecystitis, imaging modalities such as cholescintigraphy and CT can be reserved for patients with inconclusive sonographic studies and more complex cases. The contribution of percutaneous gallbladder aspiration and culture to diagnose acute cholecystitis seems limited. Percutaneous cholecystostomy is an effective procedure with a low morbidity and mortality for high-risk patients. The drainage catheter in the gallbladder does not interfere with cholecystectomy at a later stage in patients with calculous cholecystitis. In most patients with acalculous cholecystitis, percutaneous cholecystectomy provides a definitive treatment.     

Tubercular abscess of the psoas without associated spinal involvement. A case report

INTRODUCTION: Tuberculous psoas abscess outside of locoregional causes is uncommon and can cause a problem of differential diagnosis. EXEGESIS: We report a case of unilateral tuberculous abscess of the psoas which first clinical and radiological features presented like a retroperitoneal tumor. Exploration laparotomy discovered a bulky abscess of the left psoas muscle. Bacteriologic and histologic evaluation confirmed the tuberculous origin. Radiological study of the spine did not show any signs of spondylodiscitis. Under antituberculosis treatment a crural collection occurred and a surgical drainage was performed. Five years later, there was a recurrence of a crural collection which responded well to antituberculosis treatment. CONCLUSION: Tuberculous psoas abscess is usually secondary to spinal involvement, more uncommonly to digestive, urologic or genital tuberculosis. Primary abscess was rarely described and the pathogenesis remains unclear. Psoas contamination is supposed to be hematogenous or lymphatic in origin. Ultrasonography and computed tomography (CT) transformed the diagnosis and the therapeutic approach by percutaneous puncture and drainage.