TITLE:
Pyogenic liver abscess in children: Diagnosis and treatment at the teaching hospital Gabriel Touré, Bamako, Mali
AUTHORS:
Coulibaly Yacaria, Amadou Issa, Keita Mamby, Diaby Souleymane Gaoussou, Konaté Madiassa, Diallo Gangaly
KEYWORDS:
Pyogenic Liver Abscess; Children; Diagnosis; Treatment; Mali
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
Vol.3 No.2,
June
3,
2013
ABSTRACT: Purpose: To determine diagnostic and therapeutic problems of pyogenic liver abscess in our hospital. Method and material: We conducted a retrospective study from January 2006 to December 2010 of all children aged from 0 - 15 years admitted and treated for pyogenic liver abscesses. Amoebic liver abscesses and other hepatobiliary disorders were not considered. Results: Pyogenic abscesses accounted for 50 cases. The mean age of patients at presentation was 2.4 ± 0.78 years (range from 6 months to 15 years). Sex ratio was 2.8 for boys. Abdominal pain was the primary reason for consultation in 27 cases (54%). Fever has been noted in 42 patients (84%) and the patient general state was altered in 13 patients (26%). Escherishia coli was the most frequent bacteria found at pus. The pus was sterile in 25 cases (50%). The ultrasonographic percutaneous drainage was performed in 33 patients (66%), open surgery in 6 (12%) and antibiotics alone in 11 others (22%). The short outcomes were simple in 36 patients (72%) while pain and fever persisted in 12 others (24%). Two patients (4%) died from sepsis soon after the operating room. Improving the frequency of early diagnosis will depend on education of clinicians about the need for clinical suspicion aided by ultrasound.