Pyogenic Liver Abscess Presenting as an Initial Manifestation of Underlying Hepatocellular Cancer: A Case Report in Ethiopia

Abstract

BACKGROUND: An adult patient presented with right abdominal pain and fever to a primary care physician and abdominal ultrasound was performed. With an initial diagnosis of a liver abscess, he was discharged from the hospital after treatment with antibiotics and drainage of the collection. However, the patient had persistent clinical findings on the same site which was later confirmed as Hepatocellular cancer.
CASE PRESENTATION: A 40 years old male patient who was known to have Type 2 Diabetes and Hypertension for 10 years on oral medications referred to the Gastroenterology/Hepatology unit with right upper quadrant pain, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting of ingested matter, and significant weight loss. On further inquiry, he had been admitted six months back for similar complaints and was managed with antibiotics and drainage of an abscess collection. The multi-phasic abdominal CT scan and raised alphafetoprotein confirmed Hepatocellular Cancer which initially has presented as a pyogenic liver abscess.
CONCLUSION: Hepatocellular cancer should be suspected and early diagnosis should be made in individuals presenting with a liver abscess and having risk factors for liver cancer.