Intrathoracic presentation of amebic liver abscess.

Amebic infection is endemic in tropical and subtropical countries and still remains a common cause of chronic morbidity in these areas. This is a report of 10 patients with different intrathoracic presentations of amebic liver abscess who were treated surgically after conservative measures had failed. Five of these patients had empyema when first seen, 3 had lung abscess, and 1 had intrathoracic shadow that proved on exploration to be an amebic liver abscess. All of these 9 patients had abscesses on the right side secondary to amebic liver abscess of the right lobe of the liver. The tenth patient had amebic pericarditis secondary to amebic abscess of the left lobe of the liver. Failure of conservative treatment in these patients is attributed to the thick nature of the amebic pus and the severe reaction of the pleura and pericardium to the amebic infection. To avoid the serious complication of pleuropulmonary amebiasis, early operation is advised for large liver abscesses that are unlikely to be controlled by conservative treatment. Transpleural drainage of such abscesses gives direct approach to their sites, which are commonly located in the superior part of the right lobe of the liver. Such drainage has proved to be safe provided that the patient is receiving antiamebic drug treatment.