title: Echo-guided percutaneous puncture: a safe and valuable therapeutic tool for amebic liver abscess.
abstract: To clarify the therapeutic role of echo-guided percutaneous puncture (EPP) in management of amebic liver abscess, 20 patients (24 abscesses) received metronidazole plus EPP. Fluid was aspirated through Chiba needles under real-time sonographic guidance so as to reduce cavity size to less than 3 cm. Not more than two EPPs were necessary in the majority of cases and no complication followed the procedure. This scheme resulted in a shortening of time of both hospitalization (less than or equal to 20 days) and liver lesion healing as assessed by ultrasound (less than or equal to 4 months). It is concluded that EPP is a valuable and safe therapeutic tool for hepatic amebic abscess.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008101:Liver Abscess, Amebic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011677:Punctures / Q000379:methods*; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D008795:Metronidazole