Liver abscesses after transcatheter arterial embolization

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Interventional Radiology
• Oncology

Background:

• Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a common treatment for liver cancer.
• Liver abscesses are a potential complication following TACE.
• Understanding the incidence and risk factors of liver abscesses post-TACE is critical for patient safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate clinical features, radiological findings, and risk factors of liver abscesses after TACE.
• To assess the management strategies for liver abscesses in patients with primary and metastatic liver cancer.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 163 patients undergoing 313 TACE procedures between January 2012 and January 2018.
• Analysis of computed tomography (CT) findings, predisposing risk factors, and treatment methods for liver abscesses.

Main Results:

• Liver abscesses occurred in 2.4% of patients (4/163) and 1.3% of procedures (4/313).
• Predisposing factors identified included bilioenteric anastomosis (2 patients) and diabetes mellitus (2 patients).

Conclusions:

• Liver abscess formation post-TACE is a rare but severe complication.
• Physicians must recognize predisposing risk factors for TACE to mitigate the risk of potentially fatal outcomes.