Hepatic abscess following transhepatic drainage of subphrenic abscess

A case of an hepatic abscess that developed after percutaneous transhepatic drainage of a subphrenic abscess is presented. The location of the abscess immediately along the tract of the drainage catheter and the similar organ isms recovered from bacteriologic culture suggest that the abscess was rela ted to direct contamination along the tract of the drainage catheter. The p otential for abscess formation within the liver should be considered in the choice of access route for percutaneous drainage of retroabdominal abscess es. It may be preferable to avoid transhepatic drainage in patients in whom it is anticipated that the catheter drainage will require considerable len gth of time.