Liver Abscess
A liver abscess happens when pus forms in the liver. It can be due to direct gallbladder infection (e.g., acute cholecystitis and cholangitis) or even abdominal conditions such as appendicitis or diverticulitis. It can also develop as a result of liver injuries, tumours, biliary tract injuries and diseases.
Symptoms:
Liver abscess is often characterised by various symptoms such as:
- Chills and rigours
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Pain in the upper abdominal region
- Sudden extreme weight loss
- Dark urine
- in older patients, single nonspecific symptoms, such as lethargy, can happen.
Treatment:
The diagnosis of a liver abscess needs clinical, biochemical, and scan confirmation.
Once accurately diagnosed, it has to be treated with:
- Antibiotics (if caused by bacterial infections)
- Drainage of the abscess through a needle
- Surgery (for more complicated cases, and abscesses that do not respond to the antibiotics treatment).
