Ces radiol. 2021, 75(4):295-300 | DOI: 10.55095/CesRadiol2021/037

CT-guided drainage of hepatic abscesses as a therapeutic method - our experienceOriginal article

Vlastimil Válek jr., Tomáš Rohan, Tomáš Andrašina

Klinika radiologie a nukleární medicíny LF MU a FN, Brno

Aim: To define parameters predicting the need for repeated drainage, influencing the duration of drainage and the necessity to adjust the position of the drain.

Methods: Patients who underwent CT-guided drainage of a hepatic abscess between 2012 and 2020 at the University Hospital Brno were included. The duration of drainage, recurrence rate and need for repeated drainage of the abscess were correlated with the size, volume, etiology of the abscess and its localization in the liver, drain characteristics, length of the drain channel, expert deciding on drain extraction.

Results: 48 consecutive patients (48% women) with 51 drained abscesses were included in our retrospective study group. The mean age of the patients was 61.8 ± 14.3 years. In 6 (12%), repeat drainage was performed, which was necessary more often if the drain was extracted from the abscess by a physician other than a radiologist or surgeon (50% vs. 17% vs. 0%, p = 0.006). Drainage of abscesses took longer in patients with cholangiogenic abscesses compared to idiopathic or postoperative abscesses (17.5 vs. 14 vs. 12 days, p = 0.033). More frequent adjustment of the drain position was necessary with a longer total drain channel (p = 0.04).

Conclusion: The need for repeat drainage is associated with extraction of the initially inserted drain by a physician other than a radiologist or surgeon. The duration of drainage was influenced by the pathogenesis of the abscess, and the necessity to adjust the drain position by the length of the drain channel.

Keywords: drainage, CT, hepatic abscess

Grants and funding:

Podpořeno MZ ČR - RVO (FNBr, 65269705) a MUNI/A/1388/2021.

Accepted: December 15, 2021; Published: December 1, 2021  Show citation