title: Perinephric abscess mimicking fulminant hepatic failure.
abstract: We describe a female diabetic patient who presented with features suggestive of hepatobiliary disease and who exhibited clinical signs of fulminant hepatic failure. Identification and drainage of a right perinephric abscess resulted in prompt resolution of both the physical signs and biochemical indices of liver disease. Infection remote from the hepatobiliary tree can mimic fulminant hepatic failure, and recognition of this unusual presentation of infection is important if dangerous delay in diagnosis and treatment is to be avoided.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, U.W.I., Trinidad.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Teelucksingh
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Ariyanayagam
authors.forename: K F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bartholomew
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*