Abstract

MARTIN-PEREZ, E. et al. Pyogenic liver abscess as a complication of Chrohn's disease. An. Med. Interna (Madrid) [online]. 2000, vol.17, n.12, pp.41-43. ISSN 0212-7199.

Pyogenic liver abscess in patients with Chrohn's disease is not common, but the mortality has been reported to be high if diagnosis and treatment is delayed. Intra-abdominal abscesses, fistulous disease, and steroid therapy have all beeen reported to be important predisponing factors in the pathogenesis of this entity. We present a patient with Chrohn's disease in whom multiple abscesses were encountered in the right lobe of the liver. The diagnosis of liver abscess was established by abdominal computed tomography and the patient was treated by percutaneous catheter drainage. Awareness of this rare complication is important because diagnosis is difficult to make and a high index of suspicion is required. Once suspected, aggressive diagnostic workup and treatment is indicated. Most patients with liver abscess can be successfully managed by percutaneous catheter drainage combined with antibiotic therapy if it is diagnosed before extensive necrosis has occurred.

Keywords : Liver abscess; Crohn's disease; Percutaneous drainage.

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