Liver & intrahepatic bile ducts
Infectious nonviral
Pyogenic abscess
Author: Komal Arora, M.D.
Last author update: 1 May 2012
Last staff update: 24 September 2020
Copyright: 2002-2024, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Pyogenic abscess[TI] liver
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Treatment | Gross description | Microscopic (histologic) description | Additional referencesCite this page: Arora K. Pyogenic abscess. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/liverpyogenicabscess.html. Accessed April 26th, 2024.
Definition / general
- Uncommon, associated with immunodeficiency
- Usually older patients due to bacteria in biliary tract (30 - 70%), HIV+ patients with tuberculosis; also other local or systemic infections
- 40% have no known source of infection
- Bacteria detected by aspiration and culture in 85 - 100% of cases; usually E. coli (35 - 45%) but often anaerobes or polymicrobial
- Yersinia enterocolitica is associated with iron overload (hemochromatosis)
Treatment
- Drainage, antibiotics; treat source of infection if known
- Mortality dependant on abscess size (30 - 90% if large), number of abscesses, severity of underlying illness, patient age
Gross description
- Single or multiple cavities, usually in right lobe, filled with foul smelling, creamy yellow, necrotic material
- May have fibrous capsule
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Necrotic material with numerous neutrophils
- Adjacent hepatocytes appear reactive
Additional references
