Management of a ruptured amoebic liver abscess at Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in The Gambia: A Case series report
Keywords:
Liver abscess, Amoebic, Ruptured, GambiaAbstract
Introduction: Amoebic liver abscess caused by an anaerobic parasitic amoeba, Entamoeba histolytica, causes mainly intestinal infection in man, but it can also cause extra-intestinal infections, the commonest of which is amoebic liver abscess.
Its treatment is mainly non-surgical, as it responds well to medications. However, few cases present as surgical emergencies, when the abscess ruptures, and has to be managed surgically.
Case presentation: We present two cases of ruptured amoebic liver abscess, a 34yrs old woman and an 18yrs old man, both of which were managed surgically. For the first one, the diagnosis was suspected before surgery, but the second one presented as an acute abdomen.
Conclusion: Amoebic liver abscess can be complicated by rupture into the peritoneal cavity resulting in peritonitis, however the outcome can be good, even in resource poor settings.
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