Sonographically guided percutaneous needle aspiration versus catheter drainage in management of pyogenic liver abscess

Objective To compare percutaneous needle aspiration( PNA) and percutaneous catheter drainage( PCD) in the management of liver abscess. Methods A retrospective study during the last twenty years( 01 /1989-01 /2008) were performed. 96 patients with pyogenic liver abscess were treated by PNA or PCD. Patient demographics,treatment outcome,duration of hospital stay,and morbidity and were analyzed. Results There were 42 and 54 patients with aspiration and catheter drainage treatment; complication rates in the two groups were( 4. 8% vs 5. 6%,P = 1. 00),mortality( 2. 3% vs 1. 9%,P = 1. 00) and length of hospital stay( 19. 1 ± 12. 1d vs 21. 6 ± 12. 5 d,P = 0. 44) without significant difference. In catheter drainage treatment group,the success rate was significantly higher than in aspiration group( 61. 9% vs 92. 6%,P = 0. 00),but the diameter of ≤6 cm abscess and treatment success had no significant difference( 91. 0% vs 96. 7%,P = 0. 57). Conclusions PCD is more effective than PNA in the management of pyogenic liver abscess. PNA can be used as a valid alternative for simple abscesses 6cm in diameter or smaller.