To explore the clinical effects of bedside ultrasound-guided percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) combined with antibiotics in the treatment of acute and severe bacterial liver abscess.

Ninety patients who underwent bedside ultrasound-guided PCD due to bacterial liver abscess associated with acute septic shock were selected. The maximum diameter of abscess, leukocyte count, percentage of neutrophils, C-reactive protein and serum lactic acid were recorded before catheterization and 1, 3 and 7 days after catheterization. The differences of preoperative and postoperative parameters were analyzed and compared. In addition, the time of drainage, hospital stay and complications were recorded for evaluating the treatment effect.

All of 90 patients were successfully completed PCD, and the procedure time was 53.43 ± 7.77 min. The maximum diameter of abscess, the percentage of leukocytes, neutrophils, C-reactive protein and serum lactic acid in 1, 3 and 7 days after catheterization were better than those before catheterization (P < 0.05). The postoperative drainage time was 7.77 ± 1.46 days, and the hospital stay was 14.71 ± 1.52 days. Bile leakage occurred in 2 cases and no complications occurred in the other 88 cases. According to whether patients had diabetes or not, the results showed that the proportion of air cavity formation was higher in the diabetes group (26.23% vs 6.90%, χ² = 4.592, P = 0.032).

The bedside ultrasound-guided PCD is convenient and fast. There are good effects and few complications for acute and severe bacterial liver abscess when combined with targeted antibiotics. Patients with diabetes are prone to air cavity formation, which need more caution in clinical procedure.