Pediatric liver abscess: A study of risks, interventions, and outcomes at a Tertiary Care Centre.

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the risk factors, clinical characteristics, management, and outcome of liver abscess in pediatric patients. Study Design: Retrospective Observational study. Setting: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad. Period: January 2018 to October 2025. Methods: Inclusion criteria included all children aged 14 years or younger who had a diagnosis of liver abscess. Results: A total of 72 patients with liver abscess were analyzed. The mean age was 6.8 ± 3.4 years. Males were predominant (Male : Female = 1.4:1). The most common symptoms were fever (95.8%), abdominal pain (84.7%), and hepatomegaly (69.4%). Nutritional deficiencies were observed in 31.9% of patients. There was predominant involvement of the right lobe in 70.8% patients. Solitary abscess was found in 68.1%. There was 62.5% of pyogenic origins. Amebical (30.6%) and mixed (6.9%) were the next most common origins. K. pneumoniae was the predominant organism (34.7%). The treatment methods were conservative (23.6%), needle aspiration (27.8%), percutaneous catheter drainage (41.7%), and open surgery (6.9%). Success rates were 94.4% overall. Mortality was 2.8%. Multiloculated abscess and complications of the disease were significant. Conclusion: Pediatric liver abscesses can be managed well using a protocol-based approach such as antibiotics and image-guided drainage. Early identification of high-risk signs helps implement proper management, and this leads to a favorable outcome.