Liver abscess (patient information)

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Liver abscess

Overview

What are the symptoms?

What are the causes?

Diagnosis

When to seek urgent medical care?

Treatment options

Where to find medical care for Liver abscess?

Prevention

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

Possible complications

Liver abscess On the Web

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Images of Liver abscess

Videos on Liver abscess

FDA on Liver abscess

CDC on Liver abscess

Liver abscess in the news

Blogs on Liver abscess

Directions to Hospitals Treating Liver abscess

Risk calculators and risk factors for Liver abscess

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief: Shankar Kumar, M.B.B.S. [2]]

Overview

Pyogenic liver abscess is a pus-filled area in the liver.

What are the symptoms of Liver abscess?

What causes Liver abscess?

There are many potential causes of liver abscesses, including:

  • Infection of the bile draining tubes
  • Trauma that damages the liver

The most common bacteria that cause liver abscesses are:

In most cases, more than one type of bacteria is found.

Diagnosis

Tests may include:

  • Complete blood count (CBC)

When to seek urgent medical care?

Call your health care provider if you have:

  • Any symptoms of this disorder
  • Severe abdominal pain
  • Other new symptoms during or after treatment

Treatment options

Treatment usually consists of placing a tube through the skin to drain the abscess. Less often, surgery is required. You will also receive antibiotics for about 4 - 6 weeks. Sometimes, antibiotics alone can cure the infection.

Where to find medical care for Liver abscess?

Directions to Hospitals Treating Liver abscess

Prevention

Prompt treatment of abdominal and other infections may reduce the risk of developing a liver abscess. Many cases are not preventable.

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

This condition can be life threatening some patients. The risk for death is higher in people who have many liver abscesses.

Possible complications

Life-threatening sepsis can develop.

Sources

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