Hepatic abscess

The cause of pyogenic liver abscess is frequently obscure at initial presentation. Percutaneous drainage provides an effective immediate treatment; however, the underlying cause must be elucidated to prevent recurrence. The authors of this paper establish the relative frequency of cryptogenic abscesses as compared with those of specific causes. Medical records of 43 patients with pyogenic liver abscesses treated with percutaneous drainage were reviewed to determine the cause of the abscess and the methods necessary to establish that cause. The cause of the abscess was suspected in only 16 patients at the time of initial drainage