[Clinical evaluation of the risk factors for liver abscess after TACE or RFA]

Radiofrequency ablation(RFA)and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) are widely enforced as a standard combined therapy for liver cancer. Liver abscess occurs occasionally as a complication. This clinical study was conducted to determine risk factors for liver abscess. We investigated the clinical background of 10 cases complicated by liver abscess in 957 cases of patients who underwent TACE or RFA for liver cancer at Minoh City Hospital between April 2002 and March 2012. Risk factors for liver abscess were analyzed statistically in comparison to a control group without liver abscess. Diabetes and a history of biliary tract organic disease were statistically significant independent risk factors determined by multivariate analysis. We consider patients with a history of biliary tract organic disease, or who have a potential biliary tract infection, and diabetes, to be susceptible to infection. A case presenting with diabetes and a history of biliary tract disease is in a high-risk group, so treatment with TACE or RFA for such cases should be considered carefully.