Giant liver abscess with bilateral pleural effusion: An unfamiliar association

Amoebic liver abscess is a common problem in tropical countries. However, its protean manifestations sometimes pose diagnostic dilemma leading to delay in starting appropriate therapy. We report here one interesting case of an amoebic liver abscess where the patient developed some uncommon features like bilateral pedal edema and bilateral pleural effusion. Although unilateral effusion is well known in such patients, the cause of bilateral involvement of pleura in this patient remained largely unknown. The cause of edema turned out to be compression of inferior vena cava by the large-sized abscess, rather than any cardiopulmonary abnormality. This case has global relevance because many of the migrant populations from tropical countries are settled all over the world, particularly in Europe and America. It would only be appropriate that the treating physicians are aware of this unfamiliar association.