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Pyogenic liver abscess after gunshot injury: 10 years’ experience at a single level 1 trauma center

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Irish Journal of Medical Science (1971 -) Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives

Liver abscesses are approximately 50 % of all visceral abscesses, and trauma presents as a rare cause of the liver abscess. Otherwise, hepatic abscess is an uncommon complication of gunshot wound (GSW) to the liver among all trauma cases. Here we reviewed their experience in detail.

Method

From January 1, 2004 to September 30, 2013, there were 2143 patients admitted to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami with severe abdominal trauma: 1227 penetrating and 866 blunt. Among the patients who had penetrating trauma, 637 had GSWs and 551 had stab wounds. Thirty-nine patients had other kinds of penetrating traumas. Eleven patients were identified as having liver abscess, with 8 of them belonging to the GSW group, and 3 to the blunt injury group. The diagnosis and management of the 8 patients with a hepatic abscess after GSW to the liver were demonstrated.

Result

There were seven males and one female with a mean age of 29 ± 10 years. There were one grade 2, four grade 3, two grade 4 and one grade 5 injuries. The mean abscess size was 10 ± 2 cm. The abscesses were usually caused by infection from mixed organisms. These abscesses were treated with antibiotics and drainage. No mortality and long-term morbidity were seen.

Conclusion

Hepatic abscess after GSW to the liver is a rare condition, with an incidence of 1.2 %. It is usually seen in severe liver injury (grade 3 and above), but our patients were all treated successfully, with no mortality.

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Acknowledgments

The authors appreciate the efforts of Kenneth G. Proctor, PhD, who edited the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care, Dewitt–Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA

    O. Dandin, E. J. Valle, G. Pimentha, C. I. Schulman, K. G. Proctor & N. Namias

  2. Department of Radiology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA

    U. Teomete

Authors
  1. O. Dandin
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  2. E. J. Valle
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  3. G. Pimentha
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  4. C. I. Schulman
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  5. U. Teomete
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  6. K. G. Proctor
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  7. N. Namias
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to O. Dandin.

Ethics declarations

All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. All procedures performed in this study involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was not required because it is a retrospective study.

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Dandin, O., Valle, E.J., Pimentha, G. et al. Pyogenic liver abscess after gunshot injury: 10 years’ experience at a single level 1 trauma center. Ir J Med Sci 185, 797–804 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-015-1358-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-015-1358-6

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