Hepatic abscesses are a potentially lethal clinical entity; if prompt diagnosis and treatment are not accomplished, the condition is uniformly fatal.Over the years there has been significant improvement in the overall mortality rate of liver abscess which is mainly attributed to the introduction of effective antibiotic regimens, advances in imaging studies. A paradigm shift in the treatment modality of choice from the traditional open surgery to the minimally-invasive percutaneous drainagehas been observed. Various studies done in the recent past have failed to establish a concrete conclusion as to which of the two is better in the treatment of liver abscess.  Hence the purpose of this study is to compare the above-mentioned treatment modalities and to identify the better option for treating patients suffering from liver abscess in our setup.

Keywords: Liver Abscess, Percutaneous drainage, Ultrasonography, Pig tail catheter, Aspiration, Image guided.

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Dr Annitha Elavarasi Jayamohan

Consultant Radiologist PD Hinduja Sindhi Hospital