Patients with cirrhosis, having abscess ≥6 cm in diameter, gas-forming abscesses and other septic metastases in those with PLA should be monitored closely and may need early intervention for SRLA.

Background/AimsAlthough pyogenic liver abscesses (PLAs) can be successfully treated, the visual prognosis of patients with endogenous endophthalmitis (EE) associated with a PLA is poor. Early diagnosis and prompt intervention may salvage useful vision. Therefore, we investigated risk factors for EE in patients with PLA, to facilitate early diagnosis.MethodsData from 626 patients diagnosed with PLA between January 2004 and July 2013 were analyzed retrospectively. Patients were divided into two groups: those with liver abscess-associated endogenous endophthalmitis (LAEE) and non-LAEE.ResultsThe prevalence of EE in PLA patients was 1.92%. The mean age for all patients (373 males, 59.6%) was 62.8 years. Upon multivariate logistic regression, a liver abscess or another systemic infection (odds ratio [OR], 5.52; p = 0.005), an abscess in the right superior segment (OR, 5.26; p = 0.035), and Klebsiella pneumoniae infection (OR, 3.68; p = 0.039), were risk factors for LAEE. The final visual outcomes of patients with LAEE included no light perception in seven, hand motion only in three, and decreased visual acuity in two. Vitrectomy and early intravitreal injections of antibiotics improved visual acuity and preserved useful vision.ConclusionsPLA patients with other systemic infections, abscesses in the right superior segment, and K. pneumoniae infection require close monitoring and early intervention to treat LAEE. Intravitreal antibiotic injections or early vitrectomy may salvage useful vision.

Background and Aim Percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) has been frequently used as an alternative treatment for acute cholecystitis in seriously ill patients unfit for surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate the recurrence rate and risk factors of recurrence. Methods Medical records of 102 patients who were followed up for more than 1 year after PC tube removal among 716 patients who underwent PC for acute cholecystitis treatment were retrospectively analyzed. Results The recurrence rate of acute cholecystitis after PC tube removal was 20.6% (21/102), and the mean time to recur was 660 days. Underlying cancer (odds ratio [OR]: 3.369; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.006–11.282; P = 0.0489), PC duration shorter than 44 days (OR: 5.596; 95% CI: 1.35–23.201; P = 0.0176), and the presence of common bile duct stone in initial imaging studies (OR: 24.393; 95% CI: 2.696–220.746; P = 0.0045) were positively correlated with recurrence. Tubogram before PC tube removal did not significantly lower the recurrence. However, PC tube clamping for several days significantly lowered the recurrence (OR: 0.108; 95% CI: 0.015–0.794; P = 0.0288). Fifty‐nine (57.8%) had acalculous cholecystitis. Calculous cholecystitis was negatively correlated with recurrence (OR: 0.267; 95% CI: 0.074–0.967; P = 0.0444). Receiver operating characteristic curve of the prediction model for recurrence verified its accuracy (area under the curve: 0.8475). Conclusion We should try to keep PC more than 6 weeks and clamp for 1–2 weeks before removal. For those with the presence of common bile duct stones, calculous cholecystitis, and underlying malignancy, we should keep PC for longer duration and carefully observe symptoms and signs of recurrence.

More atypical presentations and complications tend to occur in elderly PLA patients compared with younger patients. Clinicians should be aware of these age-related differences in PLA and devise management strategies accordingly.