Solitary pyogenic liver abscess: a statistical analysis of 117 cases

In this study, we present 117 cases of solitary pyogenic liver abscess. The average age was 30, and the most important clinical findings were pain (81.8%), chills and fever (52.2%) and hepatomegaly (64.1%). The laboratory findings were as follows: leukocytosis (61.4%), elevated sedimentation rate (71.6%), BUN over 50 mgs (15.3%), average SGOT: 20.1, SGPT: 20.3, and alkaline phosphatase: 82.6 mU. X-ray examination revealed pathological findings in the right pleural cavity and diaphragm in 61.5% of cases. Radioisotope scanning of the liver was helpful in 88.5% of cases. The preoperative diagnosis was correct in 72%. The abscess was located in the right lobe in 83.8%, in the left lobe in 14.5%, and in both lobes in 1.7%. The average abscess volume was 500 cc, and the pus was sterile in 77.7%. The overall complication rate was 31.6%, and the mortality rate was 17.9%. The patients were treated by early systematic surgical drainage.