Comparison of laparoscopic and open surgery for pyogenic liver abscess with biliary pathology

To investigate the feasibility and therapeutic effect of laparoscopic surgery for pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) with biliary pathology.

From January 2004 to October 2010, 31 patients with PLA combined with biliary pathology meeting entry criteria received surgical management in our hospital. Of the 31 patients, 13 underwent laparoscopic surgery (LS group) and 18 underwent open surgery (OS group). Clinical data including operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative complication rate, length of postoperative hospital stay, and abscess recurrence rate were retrospectively analyzed and compared between the two groups.

All patients received systemic antibiotic therapy. Four patients underwent ultrasound-guided percutaneous catheter drainage before operation. Postoperative complications occurred in 5 patients (16.1%, 5/31) including 2 in the LS group and 3 in the OS group. One patient had retained calculus in the common bile duct and another had liver abscess recurrence in the OS group. No retained calculus and liver abscess recurrence occurred in the LS group. In the two groups, there was no mortality during the perioperative period. There were no significant differences in operation time, intraoperative blood loss and transfusion, postoperative complication rate and abscess recurrence rate between the two groups. Oral intake was earlier (1.9 ± 0.4 d vs 3.1 ± 0.7 d, P < 0.05) and length of postoperative hospital stay was shorter (11.3 ± 2.9 d vs 14.5 ± 3.7 d, P < 0.05) in the LS group than in the OS group.

Laparoscopic surgery for simultaneous treatment of PLA and biliary pathology is feasible in selected patients and the therapeutic effect is similar to that of open surgery.