title: Two large liver abscesses complicating Crohn's disease.
abstract: A 20-year-old woman with active Crohn's disease had an abrupt onset of high fever accompanied by an elevation of serum gamma-glutamyltransferase and alkaline phosphatase. Her past medical history included a course of corticosteroid therapy for 7.5 months and a resection of the terminal ileum and the cecum 2 months before admission. At that time an ileoascendostomy had been performed, revealing a walled-off perforation of the colon into the retroperitoneal space. Sonography revealed 2 large abscesses in the right lobe of the liver. After beginning antibiotics, ultrasound-guided percutaneous aspiration and drainage with a pigtail catheter were performed for both abscesses leading to a rapid reduction of their size and an improvement in the patients general condition. Liver abscess represents a rare complication of Crohn's disease. A review of the literature is presented.
authors.affiliation: Bernhard-Nocht-Institut für Tropenmedizin, Hamburg.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kreuzpaintner
authors.forename: W U
authors.initials: WU
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Tischendorf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008100:Liver Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D011859:Radiography; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D013396:Suction; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents