title: Needle aspiration in large amoebic liver abscess.
abstract: The role of percutaneous needle aspiration for therapy of uncomplicated, large amoebic liver abscess (ALA) is not defined. Twenty nine patients of ALA with a cavity larger than 5 cm were randomised to two groups: (i) metronidazole 800 mg tid for 10 days combined with needle aspiration (group A, n = 15) and (ii) metronidazole therapy alone (group B, n = 14). Clinical parameters, viz, fever, pain and abdominal tenderness were recorded daily and graded 0 to 3 (in order of increasing severity). A statistically significant benefit was demonstrated in group A for clinical parameters evaluated. Group A patients took less time to become afebrile from the grade 2 level as compared to group B (3.8 +/- 1.7 days and 5.6 +/- 2.2 days respectively; p < 0.05). Reduction in pain intensity and abdominal tenderness from grade 2 to 1 also occurred earlier in group A (0.7 +/- 0.7 days vs 2.9 +/- 0.9 days for pain, P < 0.001 and 1.7 +/- 0.8 days vs 2.9 +/- 1.2 days for abdominal tenderness, p < 0.001). The mean duration of hospitalization was significantly shorter in group A as compared to group B (5.8 +/- 0.8 days vs 7.4 +/- 1.5 days, p < 0.001). Improvement in haematological and biochemical variables was similar in both groups. We conclude that percutaneous therapeutic needle aspiration of uncomplicated, large ALA hastens clinical recovery.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tandon
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Dixit
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gupta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008101:Liver Abscess, Amebic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D013396:Suction / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D008795:Metronidazole