Percutaneous transhepatic drainage of lung abscess through a diaphragmatic fistula caused by a penetrating liver abscess

• Published in: Japanese journal of radiology Vol. 29; no. 9; pp. 663 - 666
• Main Authors: Taniguchi, Masako, Morita, Satoru, Ueno, Eiko, Hayashi, Mitsutoshi, Ishikawa, Motonao, Mae, Masahiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Springer Japan 01-11-2011; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Bronchial Fistula - diagnostic imaging; Bronchial Fistula - etiology; Bronchial Fistula - surgery; Case Report; Contrast Media; Diagnosis, Differential; Drainage - methods; Female; Humans; Imaging; Liver Abscess - complications; Liver Abscess - diagnostic imaging; Liver Abscess - surgery; Lung Abscess - diagnostic imaging; Lung Abscess - etiology; Lung Abscess - surgery; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Nuclear Medicine; Radiology; Radiotherapy; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Ultrasonography, Interventional; Drainage; Liver abscess; IVR; Lung abscess
• ISSN: 1867-1071; 1867-108X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11604-011-0605-7

Liver abscesses occurring just below the diaphragm can penetrate or perforate the thoracic cavity, resulting in lung abscess or pyothorax. Although surgical or percutaneous transpleural drainage is often required in such cases, the latter approach has some risks, including hemothorax and bronchopleural fistula formation when the cavity is surrounded by normal lung parenchyma. The present report describes a treatment technique of percutaneous transhepatic drainage through the diaphragmatic fistula to avoid the risks of a transpulmonary approach in a case of lung abscess caused by a penetrating liver abscess.