[A clinical study of liver abscesses at the Critical Care and Emergency Center of Iwate Medical University].

We studied 13 emergency cases of liver abscess. Five cases of septic shock or clouding of consciousness were identified on admission. Six patients had diabetes mellitus. Twelve patients met the diagnostic criteria for systemic inflammatory response syndrome, and nine met the criteria for disseminated intravascular coagulation. Plasma endotoxin levels improved rapidly after drainage. Causative organisms were isolated in all patients, and the most common organism was Klebsiella pneumoniae (seven cases). Percutaneous transhepatic abscess drainage (PTAD) was performed not only in single cases but also in multiple cases with main huge abscesses. Surgical treatment was performed in the following three cases: a ruptured abscess, an ineffective PTAD, and a case of peritonitis after PTAD. Irrigation of abscesses with strong acidic electrolyzed water revealed a significant decrease in treatment duration. In the majority of our cases, severe conditions were identified on admission. Strong acidic electrolyzed water was useful for management of PTAD.