Background: Liver abscess (LA) is a cause of significant morbidity and requires timely management to prevent fatality.
Aim: To study the demographic features, clinical presentations, and outcomes of liver abscess in Northern India.
Material and methods: A prospective observational study was conducted on consecutive liver abscess patients presenting to a tertiary care centre treated from August 1, 2017, to 31, December 2020. The study participants were followed up for a period of one year Demographic features, clinical presentation and outcome were recorded and analyzed.
Results: There were 83 males and 4 females, with mean age of 39.67 ± 11.85 years (ranging 13 to 70 years). History of alcohol intake was present in 85% (74/87) patients. The presenting symptoms were right upper abdominal pain in 91.95% (80/87), fever in 87.36% (76/87), nausea and/or vomiting 82.76% (72/87) and jaundice in 10.34% (9/87) cases. The commonest identifiable cause was colitis (11.5%). Majority of cases had a single abscess with involvement of right lobe of the liver. Out of 87 patients, 21 were cured with medical management and 56 additionally with ultrasound-guided percutaneous needle aspiration and drainage. Open drainage was performed 10 patients, of which 4 died.
Conclusion: Early diagnosis and prompt institution of appropriate therapy is imperative in the management of liver abscess. Open drainage should not be delayed in cases lacking response to conservative treatment.
Key words: Liver abscess, amoebic, pyogenic, outcome, management
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