Successful treatment of a hepatic abscess that formed secondary to fish bone penetration by percutaneous transhepatic removal of the foreign body: Report of a case

We describe herein the case of a hepatic abscess that developed secondary t o fish bone penetration which was successfully treated without laparotomy. A 61-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with a high fever that had p ersisted for 2 weeks in spite of medication. Abdominal ultrasonography (AUS ) and computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen revealed a hepatic abscess wi th a linear calcified foreign body and gas. Percutaneous abscess drainage w as performed under ultrasonographic guidance. After drainage, the patient b ecame afebrile, and AUS and CT findings demonstrated that the abscess cavit y had decreased in size, but still contained the foreign body. Under ultras onographic guidance and fluoroscopy, we inserted endoscopic forceps into th e sinus tract and succeeded in removing the foreign body from the liver. It was found to be a fish bone that was 2.8 cm long and 0.3 cm wide.