title: Treatment of patients with pyogenic liver abscess.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) remains a serious disease with a mortality of 6-14%.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical data of 76 patients with PLA were analyzed. Treatment options comprised antibiotics, percutaneous puncture/drainage, endoscopic papillotomy/stenting and/or surgery as indicated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-eight patients (76%) had single and 18 patients multiple PLA (right lobe: 65%; both lobes: 22%). The most frequent etiologies were: biliary (38%), hematogenous and posttraumatic (11%). Factors associated with the need for surgery included gallbladder empyema, biliary fistulas, malignancy, perforation, multicentricity, vascular complications and foreign bodies (e.g. infected ventriculo-peritoneal shunt, toothpick).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Microbiological testing provides important information for treatment monitoring and modification. Complementary assessment of risk factors for a complicated course is crucial for timely identification of patients requiring additional treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Visceral Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Austria. herwig.cerwenka@meduni-graz.at
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cerwenka
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bacher
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Werkgartner
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El-Shabrawi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kornprat
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Bernhardt
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Mischinger
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001658:Biliary Fistula / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D004322:Drainage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D046290:Liver Abscess, Pyogenic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents