[An unusual case of pyogenic hepatic abscess rupturing into the pericardial cavity]

A rare case of pyogenic hepatic abscess that ruptured into the pericardial cavity is reported. A 50-year-old female who had been admitted for cholangitis associated with bi-lateral stricture of bile duct and intrahepatic stones, presented a pyogenic hepatic abscess in the left lobe on an abdominal computed tomography (CT). Percutaneous transhepatic abscess drainage (PTAD) was performed. But during PTAD-graphy five days later, cardiac tamponade developed secondarily to rapid accumulation of contrast medium in the pericardial cavity flowing from liver abscess. An emergency subxiphoid pericardectomy was performed and she made a good recovery. Unfortunately seven months later, she died of septicemia caused by a newly developed abscess in the right lobe of the liver.