[Pyogenic liver abscess. Analysis and follow-up examination of a personal patient sample 1981-1992]

From January 1, 1981 to January 1, 1992 a total of 30 liver abscesses were treated in the University Clinic for Surgery in Cologne. 23 patients underwent an primary operative treatment and seven patients received a controlled guided percutaneous drainage. During the observation period four patients (13.3%) died by the effect of the liver abscess. 20 patients (66.7%) were subjected to clinical, laboratorical and computertomographical post examinations. The primary rate of operation success amounted to 47.8%, that of controlled guided percutaneous drainage of 42.8% (NS). The secondary success rate (that means after successful operative reintervention) amounted to 86.9% by the operative and to 85.7% by the percutaneous drainaged cases. During the post examination no relapse was determinated. Larger or chambered liver abscesses as well as extrahepatic spreading required operative drainage and, in cases of multifocal spreading, a resection with concomitant antibiotics. In case of solitary abscesses the controlled guided percutaneous drainage is the least harmful and low-prices method.