Hepatic Abscess: Case Report And Review

Hepatic abscess is an uncommon occurrence in North America, but can be a diagnostic challengefor emergency department physicians. The clinical signs and symptoms may vary, leading to delaysin diagnosis and higher morbidity. We present a case of a 35-year old male with a hepatic abscessinitially misdiagnosed as pneumonia. On subsequent return to the ED for back pain complaints, abedside ultrasound led to the appropriate diagnosis. This case report and discussion will attempt toreview the literature on the etiology, diagnosis and treatment of hepatic abscess for the emergencyphysician.